VIJAYAWADA: The long-pending demand of the APSRTC staff to be recognised as government employees would be fulfilled soon as the YS Jagan Mohan Reddy Cabinet on Wednesday accepted the recommendations of the committee headed by former IPS officer C Anjaneya Reddy.
The cabinet decided to create a new Public Transport Department to absorb over 52,000 employees of the loss-making Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) into the government.
The Chief Minister directed officials of Transport, Finance, Legal and General Administration departments to complete the process of APSRTC merger with the government in the next three months.
Transport Minister Perni Venkataramaiah said all the facilities and rules applicable to government employees would be applied to APSRTC employees also. “The retirement age of APSRTC employees will be increased to 60 years from 58 on the lines of government employees. A self-reliant authority will be also constituted for revising bus fare in a transparent manner. The government will bear the burden of Rs 3,300 crore per annum towards payment of salaries and pension to the staff after the merger,” said Venkataramaiah.
Meanwhile, Leaders of APSRTC Employees Union (EU), recognised body, welcomed the cabinet decision to set up the Public Transport department and distributed sweets among staff at various bus depots across the State.
‘’We thank the chief minister for keeping his poll promise of merging the APSRTC with the government. With the new decision, the APSRTC staff will have job security and pension. The retirement age will be increased to 60 years from 58 on the lines of government employees,” said union general secretary P Damodar Rao.
During the election campaign, Jagan had promised to merge the ailing APSRTC with the State government and, on assuming power, constituted an expert committee headed by Anjaneya Reddy, who had earlier served as the Corporation’s managing director.
Retirement age to be hiked to 60
52,000 RTC staff would be absorbed into the new Public Transport Department and re-designated
The entire process will be completed in three months
Rs 3,300 crore per annum to be borne by the State govt for salary and pension bill of RTC staff
Retirement age of the staff will be increased to 60 years
APSRTC would henceforth remain a skeletal organisation and the staff absorbed into the govt will be re-deployed on deputation to run the corporation
Panel to fix bus fare
Bus Fare Regulatory Authority to fix the RTC bus fares will be created