Pensioners’ arrears delayed for long, HRTC forum submits memo to Himachal CM

Dipender Manta

Mandi, July 30

Members of the Himachal Pradesh Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) Employees Welfare Forum held a protest march here today over their pending demands. Following the rally, they submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister through the Deputy Commissioner.

The forum has been demanding a permanent budgetary provision for HRTC pensioners and immediate release of arrears pertaining to salaries revised in 2016, which other department employees have received in instalments.

Other demands include clearance of medical bills, hike in pension by 5, 10 and 15 per cent for retirees who have reached the age of 65, 70 and 75, respectively, as ordered by the Himachal Pradesh High Court. The total dues are said to be over Rs 300 crore.

The members also demanded immediate settlement of all arrears related to pensions, including delays and salary increments, and compliance with the orders issued on July 23, 2023, for revision of pension and family pension at 50 and 30 per cent of the levels of the pay matrix, respectively. They also demanded the provision of financial benefits based on pension books to those whose service records are incomplete. The protesters criticised the state government and the corporation’s management for failing to fulfil their demands.

Forum general secretary Rup Chand Sharma and senior vice-president Ashok Parashar said they had earlier raised their demand with the Chief Minister and the Transport Minister, but to no avail. The protesters warned of intensifying their agitation at the corporation headquarters, secretariat and the Assembly if their demands were not met immediately.

Forum president Balram Puri, working president Brij Lal Thakur, Parashar and Sharma addressed the protesters while submitting the memorandum to the DC.