Bus operators who have kept their vehicles grounded will not enjoy the benefits of the tax-waiver scheme of the state government, chief minister Mamata Banerjee said on Monday.

“We have waived the penalty till June. Those who have still kept the buses grounded will not come within the ambit of the waiver scheme,” Mamata said at Nabanna.

The government had in August last year announced waiver of all taxes and fines on lapsed fitness certificates for bus and minibus owners. The waiver, with retrospective effect from April 1, came at a time operators of private buses and minibuses had been reeling from the twin blows of a steep hike in the diesel price and a sharp drop in the passenger count because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Private bus operators who have still kept their vehicles grounded suffered huge losses during the lockdown.

“My earnings and expenditures have to be on a par. It has to be ensured that the subsidy is being fully utilised. It should not be wasted. Every penny has a value. The income has gone down. We are yet to receive around Rs 85,000 crore (from the Centre). We haven’t yet received GST dues,” she said.

Chief secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay said the state transport department was having to grapple with a temporary financial crunch.

“After a detailed meeting between the transport secretary and finance secretary a few days ago, a special provision has been made... After getting this special subsidy, the transport department hopes to tide over the crisis,” he said.