MSRTC Employees Get DA Hike; Unions Threaten Protest

Mumbai, Jun 11 (PTI) Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik on Thursday announced an increase in the dearness allowance (DA) for employees of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) to 58 per cent from 53 per cent, bringing it in line with the DA received by state government employees.

Employee unions, however, said they would launch a protest if all their demands including immediate payment of DA arrears were not met by June-end.



After meeting leaders of the Maharashtra ST Kamgar Sanghatana Kruti Samiti, an action committee of employee unions, the minister said the corporation has also agreed to pay Rs 100 crore in pending House Rent Allowance (HRA) arrears, due for a long time.



Sarnaik, who is the chairman of the state-run corporation, said the decision to grant a 5 percentage point increase in DA and clear the HRA arrears would impose an additional burden of Rs 13.75 crore and Rs 100 crore, respectively, on the corporation, which is already facing a difficult financial situation.



"As the financial condition of ST improves, we will fulfil the employees' legitimate financial demands in a phased manner. I appeal to the unions to withdraw their agitation. I sincerely request that passengers should not be made to suffer," Sarnaik said.




During the meeting, Sarnaik also directed the administration to ensure that whenever the dearness allowance for state government employees is revised in the future, the same benefit is extended immediately to ST employees.



The minister further said that pending salary revision arrears would be paid in phases, keeping in mind the corporation's financial condition. He also assured the unions that a meeting with the Chief Minister and both Deputy Chief Ministers would be arranged.



Despite the minister's announcement, the joint action committee of employee unions remained firm on its agitation plans. According to union leaders, a "chakka jam" protest will be held towards the end of June if their demands continue to remain unaddressed.



Shrirang Barge, a leader of the ST employees, said they were disappointed as the minister did not provide any assurance regarding the payment of pending arrears of dearness allowance.



MSRTC is the largest state-owned public transport corporation of the country with a fleet of more than 15,000 buses and workforce of more than 86,000 employees. It daily ferries more than 55 lakh passengers.