Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar on Saturday launched a salvo at the opposition Bharat Rashtra Samithi and said that the party had put hurdles in Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TGSRTC) trade union elections, adding that they will be held on October 9. He added that the government would begin the process of merging the corporation with the government after these polls.
Mr Prabhakar said that the the last elections were organised July 19, 2016. No opportunity for elections was given thereafter, he added, even as he urged workers to participate in the elections.
The Minister said the government would begin the next phase of the proposed RTC merger after the recognition elections. Representatives of the union that emerges as the recognised union in the elections would be included in the committee of officials involved in the process, he said.
The government intended to ensure that difficulties encountered in other States after the merger of their transport corporations with the government were not repeated in Telangana, Mr Prabhakar said. The merger process, he explained, would be taken forward with protecting the interests of employees being paramount. He said the government had already initiated steps to consult representatives of the trade unions on both the recognition elections and the proposed merger.
He charged that previous BRS government had prevented the democratic recognition of trade unions and alleged that the rights of workers and unions had been curtailed. He recalled the role played by RTC unions in the Telangana movement and alleged that the same unions were subsequently denied their rights.
Touching upon what the current ruling dispensation did for workers, he said pending dearness allowances had been cleared. Fitment of 21% for 2017 and and 11% fitment pertaining to 2021 had been given, he said. The government had also released dues towards the Credit Cooperative Society and Provident Fund and continued the monthly payments and 1,432 compassionate appointments were made. As many as 250 employees who had been removed from service during the previous government were reinstated, he said.
The government had also taken steps to strengthen the RTC’s fleet with the purchase of 2,932 new buses. A programme was also taken up to make women owners of 600 buses, while the Mahalakshmi scheme providing free travel to women was helping strengthen the corporation, he said.
Published – September 19, 2026 08:48 pm IST
