Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu today allocated Rs 50 crore for the payment of the pending overtime dues of the Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) staff. These dues were pending for the past 55 months and the government would look to clear them completely by March 31 next year.
The Chief Minister, while presiding over the golden jubilee celebrations of the HRTC here, announced that the government would settle pending medical bills amounting to Rs 9 crore in the next two months and the salary and pension would be disbursed on October 28.
Sukhu congratulated the HRTC staff and pensioners on the golden jubilee and acknowledged their contributions to the development of the state. He urged the HRTC officials to transform it into a ‘green corporation’ so that it becomes self-reliant by March, 2026. He alleged that financial mismanagement by the previous BJP government had pushed the corporation into losses but his government was making all-out efforts and taking all reforms to improve its fiscal health.
Sukhu said that besides upgrading the infrastructure of the corporation, the government was also ensuring the welfare of its employees. “Around 7,300 HRTC employees are now getting the benefit of the old pension scheme (OPS), the services of 1,546 contractual employees have been regularised and 608 new jobs have been created. Around 550 positions are being filled and 421 employees have been promoted,” he added.
He said that his government had added 210 new ordinary buses, 11 Volvo buses and 35 electric buses to the HRTC fleet. “There are plans to purchase 297 type-1 electric buses, 30 air-conditioned type-3 electric buses, 50 mini buses and 24 Volvo buses. A budget of Rs 327 crore has been allocated to the HRTC for the purchase of electric buses,” he added.
Meanwhile, Sukhu released the HRTC’s Coffee Table Book and honoured its officers and employees for their exceptional services. Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri said that the true strength of the HRTC lied in the professionalism and dedication of its employees. “Travelling in an HRTC bus has become a symbol of comfort and attraction. The effective management of the corporation has not only improved the occupancy rates but increased public trust in the services of the HTRC,” he added.
Agnihotri said that the Chief Minister had an emotional connection with the HRTC, as his late father had worked for it. “Around six lakh passengers travel in HRTC buses every day, which makes it the lifeline of this hilly state having a challenging topography,” he added. He thanked the Chief Minister for allocating Rs 327 crore for the purchase of electric buses for the corporation.
Managing Director, HRTC, Rohan Chand Thakur gave a detailed account of the achievements of the corporation over its 50-year journey.