Odisha Govt Incurs Over ₹374 Crore Loss in LAccMI Bus Scheme: Transport Minister

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has incurred substantial losses in the operation of the LAccMI bus scheme, as revealed by Transport Minister Bibhuti Bhusan Jena in the Assembly on Thursday. Over a period of 10 months, from October 2023 to August 2024, the scheme has resulted in a loss of ₹374.09 crore.

In response to a query from BJP MLA Bibhuti Bhusan Pradhan, Minister Jena disclosed that 1,340 buses are currently operating across the State under the LAccMI scheme. The State government has invested ₹399 crore in running the buses, but has only generated an income of ₹25.04 crore.

The LAccMI scheme, initially launched by the outgoing BJD government to create a seamless public transport network from panchayats to the State capital, has failed to achieve its intended purpose.

Following the formation of the BJP government in Odisha, it has been decided to rename the scheme to ‘Mukhyamantri Bus Seva’. However, experts suggest that the new government will face significant challenges in managing the scheme due to the heavy financial losses.