Transport Minister Anil Parab said that the issue of increment in the wage agreement would be discussed after Diwali. After discussions with the transport minister, the ST workers announced that they were withdrawing the agitation.
Due to the indefinite agitation by 150 ST depots in the state, common people had to suffer a lot. Transport Minister Anil Parab discussed the issue with the ST staff union. After the major demands of the ST employees were accepted in this meeting. Transport Minister Anil Parab and the ST workers’ union agreed to some of the demands. The dearness allowance of ST employees has been increased from 12 to 28 per cent. The housing allowance will also be increased. Following the government’s decision, the ST Corporation will be burdened with Rs 30 crore per month, including Rs 28 crore dearness allowance and Rs 2 crore rent.
Meanwhile, the Bombay High Court on Monday directed the Maharashtra government to form a three-member committee to address the matter.
A vacation bench of Justice SJ Kathawalla and Justice SP Tavade said in its order: “The Chief Minister, State of Maharashtra, will consider the recommendations and submit the same to the court with his views/opinion on the said recommendations.”
“The MSRTC’s managing director shall act as a coordinator and assist the committee, but he shall have no powers in the decision-making. The committee shall hear representatives of the 28 unions and representatives of the MSRTC and thereafter, submit their decision/recommendations to the chief minister,” added the court.
On the other hand, Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) demands a DA merger with salary, officials said. A spokesperson of the MSRTC told Afternoon Voice “The MSRTC is one of the biggest public transport corporations in the county with a fleet of more than 16,000 buses and around 93,000 employees, including drivers and conductors. Before the pandemic, around 65 lakh passengers used to travel in the MSRTC buses every day.”
Earlier this week, state Transport Minister Anil Parab, who is also chairman of the MSRTC, had declared a hike in the DA of the corporation’s employees to 17 per cent from the existing 12 per cent, besides payment of October salary before the Diwali festival on November 1, instead of the scheduled 7th day of each month. Parab had also announced, “Diwali Bhet” (bonus) of Rs 2,500 and Rs 5,000 for the MSRTC employees and officers, respectively. The MSRTC is going through tremendous financial stress as its operations have been affected since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Reeling under losses and rising diesel prices, the MSRTC hiked fares across all its services, except night express buses, with ticket prices going up by a minimum of Rs 5 and travel in AC ‘Shivneri’ buses between Mumbai’s Dadar and Swargate in Pune now costing Rs 525 instead of Rs 450.
Telore was driving a bus from Pathardi to Nashik, but took a halt for a night at the Sangamner depot, about 250 km from Mumbai, he said. The exact trigger behind the drastic step is not known immediately but the preliminary information suggested that Telore ended his life due to some personal reasons, he said.
