Oct 24, Colombo: Private bus owners in Sri Lanka are to request for a fuel subsidy from the government if local fuel prices are raised.

The All Island Private Bus Owners' Federation (AIPBOF) says that the government would have to look at providing diesel at subsidized rates to private bus operators if fuel prices are increased.

General Secretary of the Federation Anjana Priyanjith has proposed that the government provide a liter of diesel at a subsidized rate of Rs 100 to bus operators.

He has noted that bus owners would otherwise have to increase bus fares to minimize the losses incurred due to a fuel price hike.

The AIPBOF executive committee has decided to present this proposal to the National Transport Commission (NTC) and the Transport Ministry.