Hyderabad: Telangana’s minister of Transport and BC Welfare, Ponnam Prabhakar, addressed the pressing concerns surrounding the welfare of auto workers in the state and slammed the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for “politicizing” their challenges.
Prabhakar challenged these parties to explain what concrete actions they had taken over the past decade to improve the conditions of auto workers, suggesting “a lack of genuine commitment” on their part.
He also rejected the claims that the free travel for women scheme on the TGSRTC buses has affected the business of auto drivers.
Acknowledging the economic hardships faced by auto drivers, Prabhakar expressed the government’s commitment to supporting this community.
He reiterated that while promises were made during elections to provide financial assistance—specifically a sum of Rs 12,000 per year to auto workers—this year’s economic constraints due to the BRS’ rule had hindered their ability to fulfil these commitments.
The minister emphasized that despite these challenges, it remains the government’s responsibility to safeguard the interests of auto workers and address their concerns.
In a call for constructive dialogue, Prabhakar invited opposition leaders to engage in discussions about auto workers’ issues rather than “using them as a platform for political mileage.”
He stressed the importance of collaboration in finding solutions to these challenges, urging all stakeholders to work together for meaningful change.
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