Transport Minister Botcha Satyanarayana on Wednesday firmly said the request of the A.P. State Road Transport Corporation Employees’ Union seeking a takeover by Government in the interest of its employees would be examined from all angles.
He told The Hindu after a discussion with Unions in the presence of the corporation’s Managing Director A.K. Khan, that the employees had put forth the proposal, which he had brought to the notice of Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy. “I had asked for an experts’ team to study the Government bus transport models in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Once we get a detailed report, we will consider what can be done,” he said.
He was reacting to the contention of the Employees’ Union that as Transport Minister, he had agreed in principle, for a Government takeover of the corporation. “How can we take a decision on this request when there is a strike, with buses in the Andhra and Rayalaseema regions off the roads from July 31 ?,” he asked. “The ongoing strike against bifurcation and the employees’ request for a Government takeover of the RTC are two different things,” he said.
During the interaction with the Employees’ Union, represented by general secretary K. Padmakar, it is understood that he had positively reacted to the proposal. Mr. Padmakar said the Minister had on an earlier occasion also, agreed that it was indeed becoming very difficult for the corporation to sustain on its own and that the Government would take over, soon.
Strike issue
On the issue of an end to the strike that entered 31 day on Wednesday, the Union leaders, including deputy general secretary Damodar Rao and vice-presidents Somaraju and Hanumantha Rao said they would take a decision on September 16. The APNGOs Association and its constituents that are together on the strike in Seemandhra are expected to review the situation and chalk out future plans on how to the take the struggle forward.
The Minister also held a meeting with Mr. Khan and Executive Directors of the corporation.
