HYDERABAD: Uncertainty looms large over the introduction of Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (Absorption of Employees into Government Service) Bill 2023 in the Assembly with Governor Tamilisai Soundarajan on Saturday seeking fresh clarifications before she could take a decision on clearing it. The Telangana government hoped that after it sent clarifications to the Governor’s first set of queries, the Bill will get clearance. But late in the evening, the Governor sent another set of clarifications for which a reply from the government is awaited.
In the morning, the Governor said that the bill cannot be introduced in the Assembly “haphazardly”. “Sufficient time should be given to all the parties concerned to debate the provisions thoroughly,” she noted. Her office stated that the entire endeavour of the Raj Bhavan was to protect the interests of the TSRTC employees. “The transition should happen smoothly without leaving any scope for possible legal hurdles,” a press communique from Raj Bhavan said.
The fresh clarifications that the Governor sought related to the number of permanent and temporary employees working in the TSRTC, the proposed mechanism for taking care of the interests of the non-permanent employees, the handling of properties of the Corporation, the authority to operate buses, and the employee status and arrangements.
No personal, political interest, claims Governor
“These clarifications will enable the Governor to make an informed decision regarding the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (Absorption of Employees into Government Service) Bill,” read the Raj Bhavan communique, released in the evening.
In the early hours of Saturday, TSRTC employee unions called for a flash strike for two hours from 6 am to 8 am protesting the Governor’s action of putting the TSRTC Bill on hold.
They also tried to lay siege to the Raj Bhavan, following which the Governor called the union leaders for talks over a video conference as she was out of station.
During her interaction with the representatives of the TSRTC employees’ unions, she assured them that she was in favour of protecting their interests. In a communique, the Raj Bhavan said that the Governor expressed her concern over the future of 43,373 employees. “There is no personal or political interest involved in withholding my consent for introduction of the Bill,” she said, stating that she was with RTC workers even during the previous strike. She, however, said that she was “pained” to know about the strike organised by the RTC employees creating inconvenience to public.
The Governor informed the employees that she is concerned about their pending PRCs, EPF, and gratuity, leave encashment dues. She also expressed concerns over the State government not returning over Rs 3000 crore it borrowed from employees welfare cooperative society. She also appealed to the employees and all the parties concerned to study the Bill in detail and look into the provisions with “greater scrutiny”.
Responding to the Governor’s first set of queries, the State government responded saying categorically that the proposed Bill provides for absorption of the employees of the TSRTC into government service, and the corporation will continue to function. The applicability of the provisions of the Industrial Disputes Act after the absorption of the TSRTC employees into government service would be as per the provisions of the Act. Until the last reports came in, the government had not replied to the second set of clarifications sought by the governor.