Calcutta, Nov 22 :     In its drive to cut losses, the Calcutta State Transport Corporation (CSTC) has proposed to slash the rate of concession for students. The concession was granted to students after unions raised cain years ago demanding relief for the poor among their lot. The rate of concession has remained unchanged for 25 years. CSTC officials say nearly 10,000 poor students, whose family income is less than Rs 1000 a month, avail of students? concession. About five years ago the figure was nearly twice the number. An investigation carried out by CSTC officials of students enjoying the concession has come up with startling facts. They have found that some students owning two-wheelers and even a cars have been availing of the relief. The CSTC has already cancelled the entitlement of such students to concessional fare. In 1974, the Congress government first introduced the concessional fares in government buses for students in the wake of a statewide agitation. The existing concession entitles a student to pay Rs 2.60 per month for travelling a minimum four km stretch to attend the educational institution and back home. The subsequent rates were fixed at Rs 3.90, Rs 5.20, Rs 6.50, Rs 7.80 and Rs 9.10 respectively. CSTC chairman Sukumar Das said on Monday that the proposal was part ?of our drive to earn profits for the city?s cash-starved public transport service system.? ?This may provoke protests by students. But the existing rate of concession has to be revised in keeping with the times,? he said. Das said he would discuss with representatives from various students? organisations before taking up the matter with CSTC board members and the government. CSTC sources said such a proposal was mooted in 1985 but remained only on paper due to objections from the then transport minister, Shyamal Chakraborty. ?We are, however, hopeful of getting the proposal through Writers? Buildings this time,? Das said. Justifying the move, the CSTC chief said the saving the corporation would make was not much. It would only help to partly meet administrative costs. According to him, even the identity card issued to students every month costs the CSTC more than Rs 2.60, let alone the number of employees deployed in five city centres for collecting cash and handling paperwork. The concession was fixed in 1974 when the fare for a four-km trip was 10 paise. Students paying Rs 2.60 per month are tendering a single-fare for up and down journeys for 26 working days. Today?s minimum fare is Rs 2 and a passenger has to pay at least Rs 104 per month for up and down journeys for 26 working days. ?We want a student to pay only Rs 52 per month, in fact half of the total amount which an ordinary commuter tenders every month,? said Das. The CSTC move is, however, welcomed by the Citu, labour arm of the ruling CPM and its students? wing the Students? Federation of India (SFI). Students? wings of the Congress and Trinamul Congress have opposed it. Narayan Saha, general secretary of the Calcutta State Transport Employees? Union, who only last week resented the corporation?s decision to run 500 super deluxe buses by ex-armymen, surprisingly stood by the CSTC?s proposal this time. ?There is nothing wrong if the CSTC proposes a revision. But the enhanced rate should not be exorbitant,? he suggested. Echoing the view, SFI president, Somnath Bhattacharya, also felt that the existing students? concession should be revised in tune with the present-day market. However, student leaders from the Congress and Trinamul condemned the move. ?Students all over the country enjoy free travel in government vehicles and any attempt to revise the concession rate will cost poor students dearly,? said Trinamul Chhatra Parishad chairman, Arup Biswas.