APSRTC board to hold maiden meet 3 years after State bifurcation 

For the first time after the State bifurcation, a meeting of APSRTC Board under the leadership of corporation vice-chairman and managing director M Malakondaiah is likely to be held at the RTC House.

VIJAYAWADA: For the first time after the State bifurcation, a meeting of APSRTC Board under the leadership of corporation vice-chairman and managing director M Malakondaiah is likely to be held at the RTC House on the premises of Pandit Nehru Bus Station (PNBS) here on August 24. In December 2016, officials had decided to conduct board meeting, but in vain.  Being higher authority of the board, Malakondaiah has called the meeting in which seven board directors from AP, five from Telangana and five from Central government will attend. According to APSRTC officials, the major issues in the agenda are the distribution of corporation assets between AP and Telangana and implementation of GO 138 to  enhance the retirement age of the employees to 60 years from 58. Though the Central Government had appointed Sheila Bide Committee to distribute the corporation assets between AP and Telangana after bifurcation, the issue is yet to be resolved. With delay in committee’s verdict, the APSRTC has been incurring losses and is not in position to include new buses into its fleet.

AP employees are arguing that the 14 assets belonging to APSRTC, including the three prime properties — its headquarters Bus Bhavan, bus body building unit in Miyapur and sprawling hospital in Tarnaka — must be divided in the ratio of 52:48. They want the corporation to complete the valuation of these properties and give AP its due share. “Even after three years, the corporation has not yet conducted board meeting to sort out assets distribution,” said APSRTC Employees Union (EU) additional general secretary P Damodar. If the suggestions of Sheila Bide Committee decision over assets distribution favour Telangana, the APSRTC will incur a loss of `1,500 crore as per the existing market value. 

“All decisions in the corporation are taken in the Board first and forwarded to the State government for final approval and importantly, some of the decisions have to be endorsed by the Centre,” said a senior Board officer on condition of anonymity. 

Assets on agenda
The meeting assumes significance in the wake of key decisions that are expected to come up before it 
Distribution of corporation assets key agenda 
Though the SRTC was functioning separately in AP and TS, the board was not divided till date 
Seven board directors from AP, five from Telangana and five from Centre will attend

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