The Minister said so responding to a question raised by UNP Colombo District MP Ravi Karunanayake.

Minister Ratnayake said that private bus concept had helped the public transport system in the country where there were 17,067 private buses operating. Of them 2,595 buses are inter-provincial and 14,108 buses are provincial.

Asked to reveal to the House the revenue earned per bus from national and provincial level per year, the minister said that the annual income of a bus could not be ascertained as the income varied from route to route and according to the time they operated but it had been roughly estimated that a bus earned around Rs 200 million per year. Plans were afoot to conduct a proper survey with the assistance of university students to ascertain those figures.

The government provides financial support for Sisu Seriya and Gami Seriya services. Accordingly in the year 2013, the government had spent Rs 246 million through National Transport Commission, to pay Rs 45/- per km for private buses under the Sisu Seriya Service (for morning and afternoon trips) and Rs 9 million to pay Rs 31/- per km for private buses under Gami Seriya services. The Ministry that used to earn between Rs 7 to 8 millions today earns around Rs 160 millions after introducing tender procedures. (Special Reporter/HC)