CUDDALORE: Tamil Nadu Transport Minister SS Sivasankar on Thursday said that 3,200 new employees would be appointed to the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) in August as part of efforts to restructure the department and improve services.
Speaking to reporters outside the Cuddalore court, Minister Sivasankar said, “The government does not have Rs 3,000 crore readily-available to settle pending dues. However, the Chief Minister is addressing past issues step-by-step. So far, 4,800 new buses have been brought into service and 680 employees have been recruited. In August, another 3,200 will be appointed. Through these measures, the transport department is being restructured, and pending dues are also being gradually cleared.”
He said that steps are being taken to replace old buses and clear long-pending retirement benefits. “The union government has not provided any funds for the state transport department. Only the Tamil Nadu government is allocating resources,” he added.
The minister noted that due to increased demand during festivals, private buses are being operated on a contract basis. “Earlier, around one lakh passengers booked tickets each month. Now it has increased to two lakh. Unreserved passenger numbers have also gone up. To avoid disruption in district-level services, private buses are being deployed under contract. This model does not result in losses but brings profit to the government,” he said.
Minister Sivasankar had appeared in court in connection with a case registered against him and 36 others in 2015. The case relates to a protest held on February 4, 2015, in Neivasal near the Cuddalore - Ariyalur border, during his tenure as Kunnam MLA, against sand mining.