Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 13: Voluntarily retired employees of J&K State Road Transport Corporation (JKSRTC) today held protest demonstration and dharna in support of their demands at Exhibition Ground, near Press Club here today.
A large number retired SRTC employees under the banner of All J&K SRTC Volunteer Retired Employees Association led by Dev Raj Bali and Surinder Singh assembled at Exhibition Ground this morning and started their protest demonstration. They were shouting slogans against the SRTC management and State Transport authorities demanding release of their pending arrears.
Mr Bali and other speakers condemned the attitude of State Finance Department and SRTC management for not clearing their dues for the last about over 4-5 years. They said that during last few years struggle, nine employees have also passed away as they could not meet their medical expenses.
They claimed that total 126 slabs of COLA with effect from January 1, 2006 and pending arrears since 1999 have remained unpaid. The VRS employees are also not paid 6th Pay Commission arrears with effect from January 1, 2006.
They pointed out that total arrears come out to be Rs 30.16 crore and the Government is refusing to pay arrears to 742 VRS givcen workers. They said the bills complete in all respects are lying with the Finance Department.
They sought the intervention of visiting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and demanded that justice should be provided to them. They alleged that State Government has turned deaf and dumb.
Prominent among others present included J D Singh, Surinder Singh, B B Sharma, Suraj Singh, Surjit Singh, Sain Mohd, Kulbir Singh, Gulshan Singh and Sat Bhushan.