VIJAYAWADA: Transport Minister Pinepe Viswaroop has said the AP government would be offering a pension of Rs 15,000 to Rs 40,000 to retired RTC employees, which is the highest among all states’ RTCs. He said APSRTC would purchase 1000 electric and 1500 diesel buses to strengthen its fleet and services.
“The highest pension system is to be implemented in the APSRTC. Although organisations from other states including Telangana applied to the PF Fund Trust for the highest pension, only our RTCs got that opportunity. The main reason for the highest pension to retired RTC staff is the initiative taken by the chief minister for merger of APSRTC staff into the government service," he said.
Viswaroop said more than 50,000 RTC workers have been drawn into the government service. Along with them, about 10,200 employees and workers who retired after 2014 would benefit from the highest pension system.
He said the RTC workers and employees would meet the CM soon and express their thanks to him. So far, RTC workers and employees were getting only
Rs 3,000 to Rs 4,000 pension as pensions. CM Jagan kept his promise in this regard during his long padayatra and integrated the RTC workforce into the government service, he said.
The minister said that during Chandrababu Naidu's term, RTC had incurred a debt of Rs 2553 crore and the Jagan government cleared that. APSRTC has made huge progress in the last four years. The retirement age has been increased from 58 to 60. PRC recommendations were implemented for RTC staff too.
He stated that from January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2019, the state government gave jobs to 858 people on compassionate grounds in various categories and gave them the EHS cards.
The minister said, “We are buying 1500 new diesel buses and 1000 electric buses. For each employee, a Rs 40 lakh accident insurance and a Rs 5 lakh natural death insurance have been offered. Some 390 families have been benefited by that. Every bus older than 15 years is scrapped. We are running hired buses in their place. We are also buying new buses."
