After seeking time till the end of July to submit its audited accounts and demerger plan for human resources and properties to the Sheila Bhide Committee, officials of the AP State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) are busy preparing the plan, while employees and workers debate what lies in store for them.
The management has two months to address the contentious issue of dividing the corporation’s assets and liabilities between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, but it faces a formidable challenge. Unlike the allocation of employees, which was a smooth affair and is almost done, division of assets and liabilities is a bone of contention between the two States.
As decided in the past, the Telangana State RTC will formally start functioning as a separate entity from June 3. What worries employees of the APSRTC is the fact that most properties of the public transport giant in the undivided State are located in Telangana, and union leaders in that State are not willing to share them with their AP counterparts.
“The APSRTC in the undivided State had common assets worth Rs. 50,000 crore. Of them, properties valued at nearly Rs. 35,000 crore are in Telangana. We want the government to follow the stipulated 58:42 ratio (for AP and TS) in the distribution of both assets and liabilities,” said Y. Venkateswara Rao, deputy general secretary of the APSRTC Employees’ Union.
Besides land, the APSRTC will need funds to the tune of Rs. 800 crore to create facilities like a hospital similar to the one at Tarnaka in Secunderabad, a bus-body building unit, a central office akin to the existing Bus Bhavan, a printing press, kalyana mandapam, guest houses, central stores and a training academy.
“Whether the Centre or the State will allot land and funds is not clear. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu is focused on construction of a new capital for the State and may not find time to look into our problem,” Mr. Rao said.
The APSRTC in the undivided AP had common assets worth Rs. 50,000 crore, of which Rs. 35,000 crore are in Telangana. We want the govt. to follow the 58:42 ratio
Y. Venkateswara Rao,dy general secretary, APSRTC Employees’ Union
