Government considerate towards demands of retired employees of HRTC: Bikram Singh

Industries and Transport Minister Bikram Singh presided over the meeting here today with the Himachal Parivahan Sewanivrit Karamchari Kalyan Manch held regarding the demands of HRTC pensioners.

On this occasion, Bikram Singh said that the present government after assuming charge increased dearness allowance by 27 percent which was now 144 percent, which earlier was 113 percent. He said that the pensioner were being paid dearness allowance at the rate of 140 percent and soon retired employees will also be given 144 percent dearness allowance like employees.

Bikram Singh said that presently eight percent interim relief was being given to the employees, but have not been paid arrears, which were stopped due to corona pandemic last year and would be paid soon. Similarly, an arrear of 8 percent interim relief to retired employees is payable which is about Rs 19.25 crore and would be paid soon.

He said that since 1^st January, 2018, the Corporation has paid gratuity of Rs 67.56 crore and leave encashment of Rs 34.68 crore. Besides this, leave encashment and gratuity were being paid in various cases related to court orders and also in special circumstances. He directed the officials to prepare a report of all pending special circumstances cases and asked to dispose them off on priority basis. He also instructed the employees of the Corporation to prepare a special scheme to resolve the cases of pensioners.

He said that till date pension arrears of Rs 3.68 crore have been paid to 172 retired employees and soon the remaining retired employees would also be paid pension arrears.

The Transport Minister said that on 7^th March, 2019, a separate pension account has been opened in the bank by the Corporation, under which seven percent of the daily fare income of buses was being deposited, which is being utilized to pay the pensioners financial benefits.

Bikram Singh said that all the cases of retired pensions of the Corporation would be presented to Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur within 15 days and efforts would be made to find a permanent solution of it.

President, Himachal Parivahan Sevanivrit Karamchari Kalyan Manch Balram Puri also apprised the Transport Minister of various other demands of Karamchari Kalyan Manch.

Managing Director, Himachal Road Transport Corporation, Sandeep Kumar, Financial Advisor K.R. Negi and various officials of the Manch were also present in the meeting.

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