Mumbai: DCM Ajit Pawar hints at strong action against striking MSRTC employees

Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Thursday gave a fresh call for the striking employees of Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation to report to work and warned that the government will soon launch a recruitment drive to fill up the posts of suspended employees. Pawar’s statement came on a day to day which was the deadline announced by Transport Minister Anil Parab last week for employees to return to work or face stern action.

Pawar has hinted that the government has left with no option but to initiate steps so that the functioning of the MSRTC will become normal. The strike has been going on since October last year as the employees are stuck to their demand for the MSRTC’s merger with the state government. However, the state government based on the three-member committee’s report has already ruled out the merger citing it was not feasible practically and administratively.

Parab on the concluding day of the budget session on March 25 had said that if the employees will not report to work by March 31 then they will be removed from their jobs as a last resort.

Meanwhile, he announced the disbursement of Rs 39 crore to the MSRTC for the reconstruction of 300 ST buses. The fund disbursal is under the Human Development Index project wherein the students up to 12th standard from rural areas are provided transport facilities from the village to school. Pawar said the reconstruction and repairs of buses will benefit the students from the rural areas for safe and secured transport.