Telangana: BRS govt issues clarifications on TSRTC merger bill to Guv

Hyderabad: Hours after Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan sought an explanation on five subjects relating to the TSRTC merger draft bill, the Bharat Rasthra Samithi (BRS) government issued clarifications on the same.

TSRTC employees have taken to the streets in protest against the Governor’s reluctance in signing the draft bill.

Earlier, the Governor had sought clarifications from the state government on issues regarding the welfare of the workers, grants from the centre, and so on.

In a letter addressed to the Governor’s Secretary, the Chief Secretary of the Telangana government also requested the Governor to recommend the proposed bill to be introduced in the state legislature.

Government’s clarifications

• The state and central governments have contributed Rs 140.20 crores and Rs 61.07 crores respectively to the erstwhile APSRTC and the proposed bill only provides for the absorption of the establishment of TSRTC into government service.
• According to the government, the corporation board would continue as the apex body of the TSRTC under the provisions of the RTC Act 1950. It also added that the nature of the Corporation would not be changed till issues related to the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh are settled.
• The applicability of the provisions of the Industrial Disputes Act after absorption of the TSRTC employees into government service would be as per the provisions of the said Act. No provision in this regard is required in the proposed Bill.
• The letter also clarified that there is no ambiguity in the bill in regard to the applicability of pension provisions or other provisions applicable to TSRTC employees after their absorption into government service. Existing rules and regulations governing TSRTC employees would continue to apply in the interim period.
• Employees will not undergo hardships in terms of salaries and allowances. After absorption into government services, there will be no bar for the continuation of the current TSRTC categories and cadres.

The Governor had earlier invited TSRTC workers to Raj Bhavan to hold talks and find a resolution.

On July 31, the State cabinet which met under the chairmanship of chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao took a decision to merge the TSRTC with the government. If the bill goes through, 43,373 employees of the corporation to be treated as government staff.