The ‘Khoke’ government has money for splurging on events but they have no money for the salary of the employees.Why are all those who insisted on a merger of the corporation with the state government silent now?
Mumbai, 17 February
The Shinde-Fadnavis government is unable to pay salaries of ST employees on time. It is a matter of shame for the government that Bhimrao Suryavanshi, an employee of the ST Corporation in Sangli district had to commit suicide as his salary was not done on time. Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee President Nana Patole has appealed to the employees of the ST Corporation to not take any extreme step, and the Congress party stands firmly behind the employees and will raise their issues in the budget session.
Taking note of the Shinde-Fadnavis government in this regard, Congress state president Nana Patole said that, the ST Corporation needs Rs 360 crore per month for salaries, which was given during the Mahavikas Aghadi government. When the ST employees went on strike at Azad Maidan for their demands, the dearness allowance was increased to 28 percent, house rent allowance and salary hike were also given to their demands. Even during this strike, the Congress party and the MVA government stood by the employees, but some political parties and self-proclaimed leaders deliberately targeted the employees and misled them for furthering their political interests. The strike was not allowed to be withdrawn even after the decision of the court. Why are those people silent today? Why are ST employees not getting salary? Who has stopped Shinde-Fadnavis government from doing the merger now? these questions were raised by Patole.
The ST Corporation needs Rs 360 crore per month for the salaries of its employees but the Shinde Fadnavis government is only asking for Rs 223 crore. The state government owes Rs 1000 crore to the corporation, while the corporation is demanding that it be paid, the state government is not providing those funds. The Shinde-Fadnavis government does not have money to pay the salaries of the ST Corporation, but this government has money to splurge on advertising and events. The issue of ST employees is serious and we will not play politics in this matter like BJP but we will ask this government to answer in the budget session. Patole also said that we will force the government to resolve the issue of the corporation.
