Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma on Friday said that Rajasthan Government demanded Rs 19 lakh for the diesel used in transporting students of Uttar Pradesh from Kota back to their home state.
"Rajasthan government raised a bill of Rs 19 lakhs for diesel provided by them for Uttar Pradesh buses that were run for bringing back students from Kota, we paid the bill on May 5," Sharma said in a press conference.
The Deputy Chief Minister said the Rajasthan Government accepted their request to help in bringing back their stranded students. "They asked UP government to send buses to Rajasthan," he added.
"We estimated that there were around 10,000 students from our state stranded in Rajasthan. In April, we sent 560 buses to bring back stranded UP students in Kota. Later, we got to know that there were around 12,000 students and we had less number of buses. The Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) asked Rajasthan Roadways to provide some buses. Also, UPSRT had asked Rajasthan Roadways for fuel for the UP buses," Sharma said.
"The students said they were not being provided with proper food and stay in Rajasthan. They requested us to bring them back to Uttar Pradesh," he added.
UPSRTC buses were used to bring back stranded UP students from Kota, 94 buses of Rajasthan Roadways were also used and a bill of Rs 36 lakh was raised by Rajasthan Government for the same, said Managing Director, UP State Road Transport Corporation.
"Our buses were used to bring back stranded UP students from Kota following UP Government orders. 94 buses of Rajasthan Roadways were also used. Bill of Rs. 36 lakh was raised by Rajasthan government for the same, it has been paid now," said Raj Shekhar, Managing Director, UP State Road Transport Corporation.
"A few buses of Rajasthan Roadways were used because we have assessed that around 8000 to 10,000 students would be stranded there but the number increased. A bill was then raised by Rajasthan Roadways and UP Roadways has now paid it. We received the bill at around May 5 which was paid off on May 20," he added.
( With inputs from ANI )