RTC strike ends, Telugu Govts vie in showering largesse

• AP govt announces 43 % fitment, T gives one % more
• KCR to regularize contract workers on Thursday
• Big relief for EAMCET candidates
• RTC buses to be back on roads
• No immediate fare hike in AP, KCR says there will be fare hike

The RTC strike ended on Wednesday with both the Telangana and Andhra Governments agreeing to major demands of the striking RTC employees. With the union leaders calling upon the employees to join the duties, a major hurdle to Thursday’s EAMCET test in Telangana has been cleared.

The AP government has announced 43 per cent fitment. The arrears of the last three months would be paid during the Dasara and Diwali period and the other arrears would be paid at the time of retirement. This meant that the additional burden on the AP government would be of the order of Rs 900 crore.

Going a step further, Telangana CM KCR, who himself addressed the media, announced 44 per cent fitment, one per cent more than that announced by the TDP government. Interestingly his presser came minutes after the AP Govt announced its deal.

However, he said the burden of subsidies given in the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) jurisdiction would have to be borne by the GHMC. The subsidy burden is of the order of Rs 200 crore.

KCR’s largesse did not end there. He said the fitment would be implemented from June and the arrears would be given in two phases. Fifty per cent of the arrears would be paid in the form of bonds and the remainder would be paid during the Dasara and Ugadi.

In another major announcement, he said all the contract employees would be regularized from Thursday. All the cases booked against the RTC workers would be waived and all the suspensions would be lifted. He said the retired employees would be allowed free travel in RTC buses.

However, he indicated that the RTC fares would go up soon. “The employees are part of the society and the society would have to bear the burden of the RTC,” he indicated. As for Andhra Pradesh Government, there is no immediate fare hike. But, the ministers were cryptic about the possibility of a future hike.