Minister Ponnam Urges RTC Employees To Withdraw Strike

Hyderabad, April 14: Transport and BC Welfare Minister Ponnam Prabhakar urged RTC employees to withdraw their proposed strike. He said the government is ready to resolve their issues through dialogue.

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Ponnam Prabhakar stated that RTC merger and labour union matters fall under government purview. He added that a committee is already examining the merger issue. However, he said the government is open to discussions on all other concerns.

Minister Urges RTC Employees for Dialogue on Strike

He said the government remains accessible to employees at all times. Therefore, he encouraged staff to present their grievances through talks. He stressed that dialogue remains the best way to resolve disputes.

The minister highlighted that a 2.1 percent Dearness Allowance has been implemented. He added that no DA dues are pending. Moreover, he said the government is considering a Pay Revision Commission for RTC staff.

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Referring to the merger process, he noted that a committee was formed on September 9, 2023. However, he said the issue stalled due to election schedules. He added that the current government has since focused on strengthening RTC services.

He pointed to the free bus travel scheme for women under the Mahalaxmi scheme. He said RTC is now recovering, with over 90 depots reportedly in profit. Therefore, he warned that a strike would inconvenience the public.

He also cited financial improvements in the organisation. PF dues have reduced from Rs 1,205 crore to Rs 600 crore. Similarly, CCS dues have fallen from Rs 690 crore to Rs 300 crore.

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Additionally, he said 2,978 new buses were introduced. He added that 1,134 compassionate appointments were provided. Recruitment is complete, and new hires will join soon.

Finally, the minister urged employees to call off the strike. He said issues can be resolved amicably through discussions.