JOIN USChief Minister Siddaramaiah, who inaugurated the Mysore Auto-rickshaw Owner’s and Driver’s Cooperative Society Limited, here, on Thursday, received a memorandum from representatives of autorickshaw associations citing several demands.
Siddaramaiah said that while the conditions of auto owners were favourable, auto drivers were undergoing several problems, due to their acute financial status. With both owners and drivers coming together to form a cooperative, he said that this would help in providing financial assistance to the drivers.
He also promised to provide any required assistance to the Cooperative and advised it to stick to an objective of assisting the community of auto drivers.Govt funds
Cooperative Minister H S Mahadev Prasad, said that the government could contribute funds to the Cooperative, if it had 5,000 members. “By increasing the membership of the Cooperative, share amount could be increased. At such a juncture, the government can assist,” he said. He said that there were many auto organisations in the city, which should come together for the success of the cooperative venture.
Demands
Associations which are part of the Cooperative have sought Rs 25 lakh from the Chief Minister’s fund, to set up a welfare fund. Stating that auto drivers were subjected to long queues for filling LPGs, they have sought land from either Mysuru City Corporation or Mysuru Urban Development Authority, for the construction of a ‘No profit and no loss’, gas refill outlet.
Their other demands also include issuing conditional permits for autos to ferry tourists to destinations such as KRS, Ranganathittu and others, and the construction of a community hall in the city.