Transport Department

Policy Note - 2006 - 2007

Demand No. 48

10. Lok Adalat

In order to reduce the expenditure on account of accident claim compensation and to settle the claim early, the State Transport Undertakings have been instructed to settle the claims through Lok Adalat and reach mutual settlement of accident claims and thus save huge amount to the State Transport Undertakings. During the year 2005-2006 the Corporations have settled 389 cases through Lok Adalat and saved a sum of Rs. 315.64 lakhs, and from April 2006 to June 2006, the savings is Rs. 91.23 lakhs in 137 cases.

11. Role of State Transport Undertakings in rehabilitation of the Indian Evacuees from Lebanon

The Metropolitan Transport Corporation and State Express Transport Corporation Ltd. arranged 19 buses for safe and speedy transport of 620 Indian evacuees arrived from Lebanon on 21st, 22nd and 25th July 2006, to the southern districts of the State. More batches of evacuees are expected and the State Transport Undertakings will discharge its role in the fittest manner.

12. Tamil Nadu Transport Development Finance Corporation Limited

Tamilnadu Transport Development Finance Corporation Limited commenced its business in March 1975 to cater to the long term financial requirements of State Transport Undertakings towards the purchase of chassis, body building, setting up of workshops and also to meet the working capital requirements by mobilizing adequate funds from general public through public deposits. TDFC has been registered as a Non-banking Finance Company with the Reserve Bank of India and classified as a Hire Purchase Company.

Financial Performance

TDFC has a track record of earning profit every year since its inception from 1975. The profit earned for the last 3 years is given below.

(Rupees in lakhs)

The deposits with Transport Development Finance Corporation Ltd., as on 30.6.2006 is Rs.681 Crores. Financial assistance extended by Transport Development Finance Corporation since its inception upto 30.6.2006 is Rs.6198.75 Crores. In order to encourage prompt repayment of loans by the State Transport Undertakings, TDFC has instituted "Best Customer" Award which is given away every year.

13. Pallavan Transport Consultancy Services Limited

PTCS was incorporated in April 1984 as a wholly owned company of Government of Tamilnadu with an authorised capital of Rs.5.00 lakhs and paid up capital of Rs.2.00 lakhs. Subsequently in May 2000 the paid up share capital was increased to Rs.10.00 lakhs with the authorised share capital of Rs.50.00 lakhs. The activities of the company are supervised by a Board of Directors appointed by the Government of Tamilnadu. At present the day to day affairs of the company are looked after by a full time Managing Director. The total staff strength of the organisation is eleven only.

PTCS offers consultancy services in the areas of Software Development, Management, Information Technology and Traffic and Transportation by a core team of qualified and experienced consultants in the respective fields. The core team is supported by the experts. Further, the PTCS also carries out its professional role by engaging personnel from Institute of Road Transport, Highways and retired Government executives with experience and by utilising the services of the Professors in the Faculty of Anna University in relevant areas on job to job basis as and when required. PTCS participates in tenders as a consortium by associating with reputed consultancy organisations with rich experience in the relevant fields.

PTCS has grown since its inception despite the competitive nature of consultancy business. Good potential exists in the fields of Information Technology, Infrastructural Development in Road Transport Sector and Management Services. Efforts are being taken to expand business in these areas despite resource constraints.

There is an imperative need to expand the capital base of the company for augmenting the capital resources to enable participation in tenders for securing high value projects.

14. Institute of Road Transport

The Institute of Road Transport is a registered Society under the Societies Registration Act, 1860. This Institute has entered its Thirtieth year in 2005-2006 and continues to expand its services. The Institute undertakes applied research on issues pertaining to Road Transport, performs quality monitoring by conducting tests on random samples of spare parts procured by the State Transport Undertakings in Tamil Nadu, besides imparting training on a large scale to the employees of State Transport Undertakings and the general public.

The Automobile Research Oriented Engineering College known as Institute of Road and Transport Technology was started in 1984 at Erode under the aegis of IRT. So far 4150 B.E. Graduates, 15 M.E (structural) and 275 M.C.A. Post Graduates have completed the course from this Institute. During this year, the College has started collaborative research programme leading to Ph.D with Anna University in Mechanical Engineering. The College has also applied for accreditation for the degree courses in Civil, Mechanical and Automobile Engineering. The Perundurai Medical College and Hospital also under the I.R.T, has been functioning at its own premises at Perundurai, from the academic year 1992-93. This College has produced 770 Doctors from inception. Further, the Institute of Road Transport also started three Polytechnics one each at Chrompet (Chennai), Bargur and Tirunelveli in 1992-93.

Recurring expenditure of these Educational Institutions is being met out of the interest earned on interest free loan contributed by the employees of the STUs and all capital expenditure of the above colleges is met out of special contributions received from the STUs.

The Institute of Road Transport is also running Heavy Vehicle Driver Training Schools at Gummidipundi, Trichy and also at 3 Regional Centres at Madurai, Salem and Pollachi in association with the STUs. Totally 40,309 candidates have undergone Heavy Vehicle Driver Training course upto 2005-2006. The Institute of Road Transport is also running a Light Vehicle Driver Training Centre at Taramani, Chennai and Trichy for giving driver training in light motor vehicle and in two wheeler.

The Institute of Road Transport is also acting as a nodal agency for purchase of major items like Chassis, printed tickets, Tyres, R.T materials, Piston assembly, Lubricants etc., to cater to the needs of State Transport Corporations.

15. Motor Vehicles Maintenance Department

Tamil Nadu Motor Vehicles Maintenance Department is a Service Department and undertakes maintenance and repair of all Government Department vehicles. The number of such vehicles for which this Dept. is responsible for the maintenance and upkeep is about 10,000. There are 20 Government Automobile Workshops in the District Headquarters throughout the State and a Service Station at Chennai inside the Secretariat campus for this purpose. There are three Regional Deputy Directorates one each at Chennai, Salem and Madurai for the effective supervision and functioning of the works at these workshops.

This Department is operating two Consumer Bunks at Chennai, one at Nandanam and the other in the Secretariat compound and one each at Thanjavur, Madurai, Salem, Coimbatore, Trichy, Dharmapuri, Cuddalore and Nagercoil for the supply of fuel and other lubricants to the State Government Departmental vehicles in and around those places.

16. Modernisation and Expansion of Chennai Airport

In the recent past Chennai has grown as a Hub for foreign direct investment in sectors like Manufacturing, Automobiles, Electronic Hardware, Information Technology, Services, etc. Such investment is still growing. Apart from this a large number of foreign investors like Hyundai, Saint Gobain, Motorola, Nokia, etc., have made Chennai their production base. Tamil Nadu is also an important destination for foreign tourists. In recent years, the Chennai Airport has recorded significant growth in both passenger traffic and cargo movement. Keeping all these in mind, the Government has decided to go for Modernisation and Expansion of Chennai Airport in co-ordination with the Government of India. Through this, we can meet our future requirements without difficulty.

17. Setting up of Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Aeronautical Science and Training of Pilots Academy.

Indian Aviation Sector is at present facing a severe shortage of trained Pilots to fly commercial Aircrafts. There are very few Pilot Training Institutes in the country to cater to the training needs of Pilots. At the same time, because of the Open Sky Policy of the Government of India, quite a number of Private Airlines have started operations in the country in order to meet the growing demands of flying passengers. This has in turn led to an increasing demand for employment of skilled Pilots. The skill level of Pilots can be enhanced significantly by providing training in courses based on Aeronautical Science. Keeping this in mind this Government has decided to set up an Institute in honour of the Late Prime Minister Thiru Rajiv Gandhi in the name and style of Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Aeronautical Science and Training of Pilots Academy at Sriperumpudur near Chennai. In this regard, this Government has already been in touch with the Government of India.

18. Madras Flying Club

The Madras Flying Club was started in the year 1930 and over the years the Club has become a Centre of education for training boys and girls in flying and Aircraft Maintenance Engineering and a large number of Pilots and Engineers trained by this Club have been employed in Aviation Industry.

The Tamil Nadu Government is sanctioning Rs. 3.80 lakhs per year for the Madras Flying Club as Fixed Subsidy and a sum of Rs. 3.72 lakhs as Fuel Subsidy to meet the Establishment charges and other running expenditure of the Club.

NEW SCHEMES UNDER PART -II FOR THE YEAR 2006-07