10 November,2020 07:44 AM IST | Mumbai | Rajendra B Aklekar
Manoj Chaudhary and the suicide note he apparently wrote
Rattled by the suicide of an MSRTC bus conductor in Jalgaon who blamed the "Thackeray government" for not paying their past three months' salary, Transport Minister Anil Parab on Monday said the employees will get two months' pending income before Diwali.
Parab said one month's salary will be credited to the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) employees' accounts on Monday, and another month's before Diwali.
Sources said Manoj Chaudhary, the conductor, had loans and was upset with the poor response of the government over the non-payment of his salary.
On Sunday, a bus driver from Ratnagiri, Pandurang Gadade, was found hanging in the MSRTC quarters by his roommate. Gadade's body was discovered at 4 pm the same day.
ALSO READ
Horoscope today, November 6: Check astrological predictions for all zodiac signs
Conducting free and fair elections is our duty: DGP Sanjay Verma
Maharashtra Assembly Elections 2024: FIR against Sanjay Raut's brother
2008 Malegaon Blast Case: NIA court issues warrant against Pragya Thakur
Sena (UBT) expels five functionaries for 'anti-party activities' ahead of polls
"They need not be disheartened and take such extreme steps like suicide. The financial condition of the corporation is bad, but we will find a way out," Parab said. Before Parab announced the decision to pay the pending salaries, MSRTC workers had threatened to hold state-wide protests over the government's failure to disburse MSRTC employees' salaries for the past three months.
Former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis asked if the Uddhav Thackeray-government would take the responsibility for the suicides. "The government did not pay attention to the issue despite our sustained correspondence. Sadly, two innocent families have to face the consequences of government negligence ahead of Diwali," he said.
Parab, who is also the MSRTC chairman, said they had sought R3,600 crore from the state for salaries and other expenses. However, since it was not possible for the government, too, to raise so much money due to losses, MSRTC was contemplating raising money through external sources.
Catch up on all the latest Mumbai news, crime news, current affairs, and a complete guide from food to things to do and events across Mumbai. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.
Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news