The Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation Employees Union has called off its plans for a proposed strike from Saturday following an assurance by the AP Transport Minister Siddha Raghava Rao that the issue would be resolved.
The union had called for the strike over the alleged diversion of funds from the corporation’s Cooperative Credit Society (CCS) to the tune of Rs. 250 crore. When contacted, general secretary of the employees' union K. Padmakar said the Minister had sought 20 days to look into the matter. He added that they would take a call depending upon how the issue was being resolved and if necessary take to the agitation path again.
The society recovers eight per cent from the basic salary of an estimated 1.18 lakh members/employees and the deposits are used to grant short and long-term loans to employees for their children's education, performance of marriage in the family or construction of a house. The amount thus collected for a period of three months was utilised by the management to meet its operational expenses.
