Mumbai: Senior member of BJP on BEST Committee Sunil Ganacharya and other members adjourned the committee meet on Friday in protest of the BEST administration neglecting workers’ demand of the Diwali bonus promised last year.
In 2018, BEST general manager Surendra Kumar Bagde had announced a Diwali bonus to the workers but even after 10 months of the promise, the workers have been still waiting for the bonus. Each worker was to get Rs5,000 as Diwali bonus.
Of the promised financial help of Rs1,200 crore, BMC has allocated Rs916 crore to its transport wing. BMC chief Parveen Pardeshi has ensured the aid promised to the BEST to tide over its financial crisis has been disbursed. However, the workers have accused the transport wing officials of not being sincere to fulfil the promise.
“In 2018, the bonus issue was raised in the committee meeting and the GM Bagde kept delaying the proposal by giving excuses, saying the transport wing was facing a severe financial crisis. But now, after the BMC has giv-en Rs 916 crore, the GM is not willing to give the bonus to the workers,” said Ganacharya.
