NASHIK: It is a shocking fact that due to the sloppy planning of the State Transport undertaking, the retired employees have not still received the difference in pay hikes and pending leaves post-retirement. About Rs 150 crore is due to about 6,000 retired ST employees across the state since 2019. Employees are facing many difficulties due to delay in getting their dues.
For the last one and a half year during the Corona crisis, the ST Corporation has been successfully carrying out the responsibility of transporting the essential-service personnel. The problem is not less than the problem faced by the ST employees who are constantly serving. Even after retirement, their financial woes continue. Many retired workers have to wear down the thresholds of headquarters as the ST Corporation has not cleared their dues yet.
There is dissatisfaction among the retired ST workers as they are only being ignored by the concerned authorities. ST Corporation has the reputation of being the largest public transport system in Asia However, the decline in passengers due to the crisis has adversely affected the revenue of the ST Corporation. The corporation has to rely on the help of the state government for the salaries of its employees as the ST’s revenue has declined.
In addition, the retired drivers and mechanical workers have not received their post-retirement pay, which has created a problem for them. Meanwhile, the family background of most ST employees is extremely poor. The families of the concerned employees had found themselves in financial straits in the lockdown period. Against this backdrop, employee unions are demanding that employees should be paid their arrears along with interest.
Death of 38 retired workers
The ST Corporation is bearing the financial burden due to the negligent attitude of the administrative officers, outdated plans as well as not searching new sources of income. In the last two and a half years, about 6,000 ST employees have retired. Most of them have not yet received their retirement benefits. Of these, 38 retired workers have died.
