The suspense over the merger of TSRTC with the state government in Hyderabad ended on Sunday. The Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (Absorption of Employees into Government Service) Bill 2023 was passed in the Assembly by voice vote. Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan has given her consent to the bill with certain recommendations. The bill will now be reviewed by the Governor to ensure that her recommendations have been incorporated.
Transport Minister P Ajay Kumar introduced the bill in the House, stating that the merger would benefit employees with higher salaries and help safeguard the properties of the RTC. Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao expressed gratitude to the Governor for sending the bill, after stating that she had created unnecessary controversy over it.
The government has been allocating Rs 1,500 crore annually to save the RTC from losses, but the prime reason for the losses is diesel prices. The corporation is facing a loss of Rs 2.5 crore every day due to diesel expenses. The government brought the bill to fulfill its social responsibility of running public transport.
The Governor has given her approval to the draft bill with recommendations. These include ensuring that the lands, assets, and properties of the TSRTC remain with the corporation for its exclusive use, even after the absorption of RTC employees as government employees. The assets should be divided between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh as per the AP Reorganization Act. The bill should also clarify and assume liability for clearing arrears from the erstwhile APSRTC, and ensure disciplinary proceedings are fair and in line with the same rules as other government employees.
