Hard-pressed even to pay salary to staff: TSRTC chief

​Hyderabad: Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) Chairman S Satyanarayana said that the corporation was unable to get enough revenues to pay net salary to the staff. The chairman’s remarks come in the wake of allegations by the workers unions of misuse of Credit Cooperative Society (CCS) funds.

The recognised union leaders of the corporation staged a dharna in Bus Bhavan alleging misuse of the CCS funds by the financial adviser of the corporation. The union leaders alleged that the corporation officials misused CCS and PF funds to the tune of Rs 500 crore belonging to the employees. The union leaders said that the financial adviser needs to be jailed for misusing the funds belonging to employees. 

However, defending the financial advisor, the Chairman said that the corporation was not in a position to get revenues to pay net salary to the staff. The money is used to pay off the dues so that the corporation could get incentives (example: if payments are made promptly, diesel is given on concession rates). If the official had committed fraud of even 1 per cent, he would take action and direct inquiry on the official. He said that the corporation decided to give away the CCS and PF money with interest.

The Chairman asked the union leaders to avoid abusing the officials. “Do not do it again. I will not tolerate workers abusing officials and officials showing ill-treatment towards the workers. If the union leaders repeat this mistake they would have to face punishment and even a police case would be booked against the personnel,” Satyanarayana said.

The Chairman wanted the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) to provide funds to the Corporation as directed by the Chief Minister. He said that because of the Chief Minister’s efforts, the corporation got Rs 300 crore from GHMC. However, the GHMC later refused to give funds stating that they were already in losses, said 

Satyanarayana. “If the GHMC cannot give funds, then it can take over and run the city services because in major cities the urban transport is run by the civic body like in Mumbai where the Brihan Mumbai runs the buses,” said Satyanarayana.

Listing out reasons for losses, the Chairman said that the neighbouring Andhra Pradesh Corporation had increased the ticket fares by 50 per cent and the Telangana Corporation just 10 per cent during the last six years.