KCR promises moon : RTC staff will get what they wanted and beyond!

Hyderabad: In his attempt to win the hearts of RTC workers, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Sunday announced a slew of measures, which if followed in toto, would help the employees get a bonus of Rs 1 lakh per year.

He said if the employees cooperate with him, he would play the role of brand ambassador and bring turnaround in the corporation just in four months.

KCR, who took time to freely move around with the employees and have lunch with them, said that all the employees would get their September salary credited to their account by Monday morning.

He said despite financial crunch, the government on humanitarian grounds would pay full salary to the employees for the strike period which lasted for 55 days.

The Chief Minister further said that the retirement age of RTC employees would be hiked to 60 from the present 58.

He said the government was also concerned about the welfare of the contract workers and hence it would soon regularise their services.

KCR said one of the family members of those employees who either committed suicide or died during the strike period will be given job within eight days. In addition, Rs 2 lakh per family will be paid as ex gratia.

Referring to the problems being faced by women employees and in view of the recent incident of Priyanka Reddy, the Chief Minister said that no women employee should be made to work beyond 8 pm.

They will also get three months childcare leave along with maternity leave. In every depot, within 20 days, exclusive toilets, dress change rooms and lunchrooms for women would be created. He also directed the employees to seek the opinion of women employees and introduce a new colour for their uniform.

As long-term measures, KCR said the government will provide Rs 1000 crore aid to the TSRTC every year to pull it out of red. TSRTC, he said, should become the best and profit-making state PSU in the country.

The Chief Minister, who sought details about their working conditions and problems, assured no one would be sacked. He said that not even a single route would be privatised.

He said just as the power utilities had become profit-oriented public sector units, the RTC too can earn profits. Only thing is that they should get out of the influence of the unions.

The employees told them that they have been strongly with the unions because they had been taking care of their problems. In case a passenger failed to buy ticket, it was the conductors who were being punished.

If a bus was involved in an accident, the drivers were being penalised even if they were not at fault. In all such cases, the unions have been supporting and helping them.

Reacting to this, KCR said that hence forth the onus of buying ticket would be on passengers and the conductors will not be penalised.

To increase the revenue of the RTC, goods and cargo services will be launched soon. He further promised free healthcare for parents of the employees besides free bus passes for them.

The other promises include clearing of the employees' PF dues, regularization of the temporary employees and special housing scheme for the RTC employees.