Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) Chairman A. Mallikarjuna Reddy on Thursday appealed to the employees not to join the strike spearheaded by the leaders of the PRC Sadhana Samithi, proposed from the midnight of February 6.
Addressing the media, Mr. Reddy referred to the memorandum submitted by the RTC employees to the corporation’s Vice-Chairman and Managing Director, informing about their decision to join the strike.
“The RTC employees are in no way related to the PRC issue and, therefore, they should rethink their stand,” Mr. Reddy urged.
He recalled that in the combined State, former Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy had made an earnest attempt to put the public transport giant back on the rails by buying 1,000 buses and allocating ₹5,000 crore to the RTC to clear its accumulated debts.
“The bifurcation of the State left the APSRTC with empty coffers, but the salaries of the staff and employees are never neglected,” he said.
‘A promise fulfilled’
Mr. Reddy said Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, who had promised the employees that he would merge them in the government if voted to power, kept his word and implemented it on January 1, 2020.
The government shouldered the responsibility of the payment of salaries to the employees, and asked the RTC management to focus on clearing its debts.
“But the outbreak of the COVID-19 played spoilsport, as the lockdown brought huge revenue losses to the corporation, adding to its monetary woes,” he explained.
Speaking about the liabilities of the public sector transport organisation, Mr. Reddy said, of the more than ₹6,000 crore accumulated debts, it had so far cleared ₹1,495 crore, while dues of ₹4,500 crore were yet to be repaid.
He said despite the financial hardship, which was further worsened by the outbreak of the pandemic, the RTC management was prompt in payment of salaries to the staff, unlike in the neighbouring Telangana where the employees faced problems with regard to their salaries for 8-9 months.
Revenue loss
Mr. Reddy said the strike would not only add to the revenue loss but would also put the public to inconvenience. “Our issues are different than that of the protesting employees and they can be sorted out in an amicable way,” he said.
