Hyderabad: Government's proposed VRS/CRS plan evokes mixed reactions

Hyderabad: The State government's proposed plan to implement Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS) or Compulsory Retirement Scheme (CRS) evoked mixed reactions from the TSRTC workers. Whereas the workers angrily said that they would accept this as last resort, the union leaders specified conditions on VRS and CRS.

The Telangana government is likely to take a decision in the cabinet meeting on offering VRS or CRS schemes to the TSRTC workers. According to the officials, if the government offers VRS to employees above 50-years of age most of them would be accepting the proposal. There are over 12,000 employees in the Corporation who may be willing to take VRS or even CRS, said a senior official. With age specified above 50 many executive directors, regional managers and depot managers also qualify for the scheme, the official said.

A union leader from TMU said that the persons above 50 years will accept VRS as he would get one-time settlement. "Many are working in stress and if they get money, they will accept the offer and go for VRS," said the TMU leader.

National Mazdoor Union deputy General Secretary E Ashok said that a good VRS was always welcome and not the compulsory retirement scheme. "It is also need of the hour as the prevailing working conditions of RTC are forcibly reducing the life span of employees more particularly drivers. As most of the crew are working round the clock and against the nature (we have to work even on hot summer, cold winter and heavy rains without any protections and used to take food/water untimely)," said Ashok.

The union leader said that compulsory retirement scheme cannot be implemented in RTC at present scenario. The CSR is offered when the employee commits fraud or misappropriation. "Many of our crew are suffering with cardiac, renal, paralysis, orthopaedic and gastric issues besides seasonal diseases, viral, swine flu etc," said the NMU leader. Ashok further said that the government/management while announcing any such schemes should keep in mind that most of RTC employees have already withdrawn their PF and owe money to CCS (Credit Cooperative Society) /SRBS (Staff Retirement Benefit Scheme) / SBT (Staff Benevolent Trust) in terms of loan repayment. There is no pension scheme at RTC. After completing even 35-year of service, they are getting below Rs 3,000 per month whereas the Aasara pensions are more attractive, opined the union leader.