Amaravati: The much-awaited APSRTC merger with the State government was approved in a Cabinet Meeting. Minister of State for Information and Transport, Perni Nani disclosed the decisions, which were taken at the State Cabinet Meeting on Wednesday. With this merger, all RTC employees will be treated as government employees. As part of this, the state government will set up a new public transport department and all the APSRTC employees will be regulated as per the suggestions made in Anjaneya Reddy's Commission. Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy directed Ministry of Transport, Finance, Justice and General Administration to complete the process of the merger and all the related issues within a span of three months. The AP government will take over its financial responsibility which amounts to Rs 3300 crore, through this merger.

With this decision by the AP State Cabinet, all facilities, rules, and regulations applicable to government employees shall apply to RTC employees after the merger. In addition, their retirement age has been increased from 58 years to 60 years.The Cabinet also approved for the establishment of an independent fare control committee on bus fare.

Ravindranath Reddy Express Happiness Over APSTRC Merger

Employees of Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) celebrated the merger of APSRTC with AP Government. YSRCP leaders felicitated RTC Mazdoor Union President Ravindranath Reddy on this occasion. Speaking in a press meet he said that APSRTC merger was a decades-long dream of APSRTC employees which became possible due to the decision of the Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, despite the Corporation running in losses. He said that it was a historic decision made by YS Jagan that will change the fate of APSRTC employees.

Ravindranath Reddy says that RTC went into loses during Chandrababu Naidu's ruling, and alleged that Chandrababu used the RTC for his own programs and even mulled the plans for privatisation of APSRTC. He further added that Chandrababu was the only leader who was involved in selling RTC assets. Ravindranath Reddy also recollected how late leader Dr YS Rajasekhara Reddy was helpful and supportive towards RTC and employees.

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