Employees of HRTC who have reached last stage of life should be paid their pension : Bindal
BJP State President Dr. Rajiv Bindal said that we demand from the Congress government of Himachal that the retired employees of HRTC, who have reached the last stage of life, should be paid their pension and medical bills on time without any discrimination. Ever since the Congress government came to power in Himachal Pradesh, every section, especially the employees, have been badly troubled. He said that HRTC pensioner retired employees are protesting regularly. This class has been a major section of the state government in Himachal Pradesh for a long time. We allege that the government is discriminating against them financially and they have not received their pending arrears and other benefits.
He stated that the financial condition of the Himachal Pradesh Road Transport Corporation, the second-largest public sector undertaking in the state, has deteriorated. Retiring employees are bearing the brunt of this. Nearly 250 employees and officers who retired since 2024 have yet to receive their pensions, let alone gratuity and earned leave encashment. After years of service, employees are now frustrated and are constantly making rounds of corporation offices. Each time, the corporation management offers assurances and sends them back, citing poor financial conditions. HRTC’s accumulated losses have risen to ₹2,200 crore (2,200 crore rupees). Loans and overdrafts are also increasing annually. HRTC currently employs 10,853 employees. As of March 31, 2023, HRTC’s total losses were ₹1,966 crore (1,966 crore rupees). The company’s losses are expected to reach ₹2,200 crore in the financial year 2024-2025, slightly higher than the loss of ₹2,119 crore in 2023-2024.
In Himachal Pradesh, HRTC’s electric buses are causing losses worth crores to the department. No one seems to like riding these buses, nor are they running well. The situation is so dire that the buses that have broken down haven’t been repaired for a long time. Spare parts are scarce. Drivers also say that if there’s a steep incline, the buses stall on the road.
