Governor approves TSRTC merger Bill with recommendations

HYDERABAD: In a significant development, Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan granted approval for the introduction of the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (Absorption of Employees into Government Service) Bill 2023 in the Legislative Assembly on Sunday. The approval however came with a set of recommendations which, according to the Governor, was aimed at ensuring a smooth transition for the employees of TSRTC into Government service while safeguarding their rights and benefits.

The recommendations put forth by the Governor are

1. It is recommended that the ownership of the lands, assets, and properties of the TSRTC should vest with the Corporation itself for its sole and exclusive use, even after the absorption of RTC employees as government employees. The government should give an explicit undertaking to that effect.

2. It is recommended that the assets be finally divided, and the process completed between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh pursuant to the AP Reorganisation Act.

3. It is recommended to clarify and assume the liability of clearing the arrears from the erstwhile APSRTC.

4. It is recommended that the emoluments of the RTC employees once absorbed as government employees be on the same scale as other state government employees following pay scales, service rules, and regulations vis-à-vis salary, transfers, promotions, retirement pensions, or provident funds, and other gratuities.

5. It is recommended that the TSRTC employees already absorbed should have the feasibility and facility to request 'compassionate appointment' for family members on medical grounds if the employee becomes unfit for service owing to the extreme stress and physical strain of work with the RTC.

6. Disciplinary proceedings within the RTC are extremely stringent. Therefore, it is recommended that the disciplinary proceedings be more humane and in tandem with the same service rules and regulations as the remaining government employees and the relevant service rules.

7. If RTC absorbed employees are sent on deputation to other departments, it is recommended that their grade, pay, salary, and promotions, etc., be protected for their benefit so that there is no disturbance vis-à-vis their elevations and promotions.

8. It is recommended that the contract employees or outsourced employees be treated and given similar benefits and salaries pursuant to state service rules as regular employees, and their service be recognized and protected for further service in other capacities or departments, including provident fund.

9. It is recommended that the regular employees and contract employees, as long as they are in service, receive the same health benefits of RTC hospitals, government-sponsored treatment up to a certain level, and insurance benefits in tandem, and the families of regular employees also be included in the health benefits scheme.

10. The vitality and the stand of the RTC Unions and the Corporation itself in the upkeep of its buses. It is recommended that the government take over the maintenance of buses, etc., through outsourcing to an independent entity or in any other manner, undertaking to bear the financial burden of the maintenance and upkeep of the buses for the safety of the people.

The Governor conveyed her best wishes to all TSRTC employees and their families, expressing optimism that this transition to Government service would bring substantial benefits to everyone involved.

Post the approval, Principal Secretary of the TSRTC and other senior officials brought the RTC draft Bill to the Assembly. RTC officials briefed Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao about the matters discussed during the meeting with the Governor. The Government would present the RTC merger bill in the Assembly Session on Sunday.