Bringing happiness to 52,000 employees, Andhra govt passes the landmark APSRTC Merger Bill

Vijayawada, December 17: Including the landmark APSRTC merger bill, as many as 16 bills were passed on Monday, the penultimate day of the ongoing winter session of AP State Legislative Assembly. Other important bills include SC, ST separate commissions bill, excise amendment bill, Andhra Pradesh GST Bill and Andhra Pradesh Universities Act (amendment bill).

 

 

 

The dream of RTC employees to be treated on par with the government employees would become a reality from January 1, 2020 as the AP government has passed the Bill pertaining to the merger of the Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) with the government ‘Absorption of Employees into Government Services Bill 2019’. 

 

Calling it a historic decision, Andhra CM Jagan Mohan Reddy said, “Though it would put an additional burden of Rs 3,600 crore per annum on the state exchequer, it will bring happiness to 52,000 employees and their families. The Rs 3,600 crore expenditure would be towards pay, DA, HRA, allowances and incentives, gratuity, provision, leave encashment provision etc. of the APSRTC employees.”

 

 

 

The APSRTC, founded in 1958, currently has outstanding liabilities of Rs 6,938 crore and a cumulative debt of Rs 3,450 crore, while the Corporation has been making a monthly loss of Rs 100 crore. 

As per the Excise Amendment Bill, Violation of excise rules will be a non-bailable offence with a jail term up to six months and a fine of `2 lakh for the first time. For repeat offence, it will be `5 lakh and six months jail term. If bars violate the rules, their license fee will be doubled for the first time and license will be cancelled for a repeat offence. 

 

The government is also including ill-effects of alcohol in Moral Studies in the school curriculum and also setting up de-addiction centres in all districts, the Chief Minister explained. 

 

 

 

The other important bills passed include Jawaharlal Nehru Architecture and Fine Arts University (Amendment) Bill, 2019, The Cluster Universities (Kurnool) bill, The Andhra Pradesh Education Act (Amendments) Bill, The Andhra Pradesh Municipal Laws (Amendments) Bill, Millets Board bill and Pulses Board Bill.