Shillong, Aug. 18: The Meghalaya state transport department is toying with the idea of introducing bus services between Shillong and Aizawl, Dimapur and Kohima by the end of the current financial year.

State transport minister Manirul Islam Sarkar told reporters here today that even though a final decision on the matter was yet to be taken, the government was seriously considering introducing Meghalaya Transport Corporation (MTC) services along several viable routes to generate revenue.

At present, the MTC buses ply along four routes — Shillong-Guwahati, Shillong-Silchar, Shillong-Karimganj and Shillong-Tura. The corporation, which is running at a loss, is also contemplating opening services along the remaining 20 routes in the state.

Sarkar said the latest plans could see the introduction of bus services between Shillong, Aizawl, Dimapur And Kohima.

“We will discuss the plans with the Mizoram and Nagaland governments before starting the services. However, we are prepared to launch the services as soon as the groundwork is done,” Sarkar said.

The government, too, is leaving no stone unturned to revive the corporation.

Additional commissioner of Williamnagar S.B. Marak has taken over as the managing director of the corporation.

Sarkar said the corporation could hope for a better future now that it has a full-time managing director.

Khadi bodies to protest

The Khadi and Village Industries Employees’ Association has asked all KVI employees in the Northeast to go on a mass casual leave tomorrow in protest against the KVI Commission’s alleged apathy and lack of understanding of the region, reports our Aizawl correspondent.

At a meeting of eight chief executive officers of the KVI boards in Guwahati on July 30, the employees had decided to avail of casual leave to protest the commission and the Centre’s lack of understanding of the financial problems of the region, a press release said. It added that the KVI boards had requested the authorities to continue the pattern of assistance (in which the interest rate is minimal) for the rural artisans in the region.

It also stated that though the boards had made several appeals for the aid to be provided by the commission and not routed through banks, the authorities in Mumbai and Delhi had refused to comply.

As a result the employees were finding it difficult to perform their duties.

“It is hard to understand the reason behind the KVIC Mumbai and the Union government’s rejection of the plans they had asked to be prepared for the utilisation of the Rs 29.21 crore grant for 2003-04,” the release said.