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Himachal government fails to pay June salary to over 11,000 HRTC staff
The Sukhu-led government claimed to have released a sum of ₹67.7 crore for the salaries of the HRTC staff
Himachal Pradesh government has not been able to pay salaries to more than 11,000 employees of the Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) and nearly 8,000 pensioners for June, even after the government claimed to have released a sum of ₹67.70 crore paying the salaries.
HRTC is the biggest public transport provider in giving government and has been running in losses for the last many years. As per reports, the accumulated losses of the HRTC are more than ₹1,500 crore. Those unpaid salaries this month include 8,000 drivers and conductors besides the other technical staff.
The passenger transport services within and outside the state are being provided by HRTC with a fleet strength of 3,142 buses, 75 electric buses, 38 taxies, 50 electric taxies and 12 tempo travellers. The government owes ₹60 crore as the salaries and pensions to the employees of HRTC which play on nearly 7,000 routes within and outside the state.
Dharmendra Sharma, co-treasurer of HRTC drivers union state executive, said the members of the union have submitted a memorandum to the government for timely salaries. “We are never paid in time. We too have families to fend for,” he added.
“We have requested the finance department to release money for paying the salaries of employees,” said the managing director of HRTC, Sandeep Kumar.
“It has always been the government’s endeavour to pay salaries on time, they would get their salaries shortly,” said chief secretary Prabodh Saxena.
The employees said they find it tough to fend for their families when not paid on time. “It is strange that the government blames us, the employees, for the losses, whereas HRTC is running many people-friendly schemes to lure voters. The last government announced free travelling for women passengers.”
The previous government announced a 50% discount on fares for women in ordinary buses. HRTC has been giving free facilities to the student of government schools. While it also provides free travelling to persons suffering from serious diseases and gallantry award winners.
“Our children are studying in higher classes, we have to send fees to them, it becomes difficult when the salary does not come in routine,” said Hari Lal, 53, a bus conductor working with HRTC for the last 27 years.
“ Our drivers and conductors have to travel outside the state, there are hardly any facilities for them. We pay for everything from our own pockets,” said conductor Chander Mohan, who is employed with HRTC for the last 20 years.
“ We are holding a meeting and would decide that the government pays our salary on time like any other department. We have learnt that we would get pension and salaries within a day or so,” said Maan Singh,49, president of HRTC drivers union.
The debt burden of the Himachal Pradesh government was ₹69,476 crore at the end of the chief minister Jai Ram Thakur-led BJP government. The Thakur-led government had inherited a debt burden of ₹50,773 crore from the Virbhadra Singh-led government. Chief minister Sukvinder Singh Sukhu, who has been blaming the previous BJP government for poor financial management, in the last seven months has raised a loan of ₹7,000 crore.
