Expert committee rejects demand to merge the MSRTC with state government

MSRTC employees continue to be on strike at the Azad Maidan as seen here on Thursday. Pic/Bipin Kokate

The three-member expert committee has rejected the trade union's demand to merge the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) with the government. However, it has recommended that the cash-strapped corporation be given financial assistance by the government for salaries for the next four years.

The committee was set up last November on the directives of the Bombay High Court which is hearing a large section of employees who are on strike, and the government. The strike started on November 3, 2021. In the interim, satisfied with the measures taken by the government, one third of the employees resumed their duties.

Transport Minister Anil Parab tabled the report in the ongoing Budget Session on Friday. The HC which was given the report on February 25 will hear the matter on March 11. Former Chief Secretary Debashish Chakrabarty, Additional Chief Secretary Manoj Saunik (finance) and Additional Chief Secretary Ashish Singh (transport) were on the panel.

Recommendations

The panel has said that the demand for merger cannot be accepted on legal basis and due to administrative provisions in the Road Transport Act, and functional aspects. "Merging the corporation completely with the government and treating the employees as government employees and running the passenger transport business through the government cannot be considered and accepted on the basis of administrative and functional aspects," it said.

However, the experts recommended considering the current state of finances of MSRTC, the state should provide it budgetary fund to pay salaries in the next four years. "The government may review the corporation's financial condition before continuing the financial assistance after four years," it said further, adding that the report was submitted to the HC after Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray's approval.

Workers get ultimatum

Parab gave employees an ultimatum of March 10. He said that he was giving employees time to join duties and after that he cannot say what could happen to them as serious action would be initiated against them. "Resume work. The dismissed employees can appeal and we will consider their reinstatement," he said.

There were few MSRTC workers at Azad Maidan on Friday as the committee tabled the report refusing the merger of the loss making undertaking with the government. MSRTC Congress leader Shrirang Barge remained firm on his earlier stand that if not the undertaking, the budget of the corporation should be merged with that of the government." The basic idea is that there should not be any disruption in the salaries of employees," Barge said. An employee at Azad Maidan said that he did not know what to do next and said he was waiting for directives from their leaders or some collective action.