Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur while addressing the State Level 9th Foundation Day Function of Himachal Pradesh Road Transport Corporation Drivers’ Union at Mandi today said that the drivers of HRTC played a major role during the Corona pandemic in bringing back home lakhs of Himachalis stranded in different parts of the country. He said that thousands of students were also brought back home from far-off places such as Kota in Rajasthan.
Chief Minister said that roads were the lifelines of the economy for the hilly States like Himachal Pradesh. He said that this makes the role of drivers of the HRTC further more important. He said that the drivers of the Corporation were working hard day and night to ensure that the people reach their destination safely and well in time. He said that the pandemic has adversely affected the economy of the State. He said that the State Government has ensured that the drivers and conductors of HRTC do not suffer and thus they were provided all their dues well in time.
Jai Ram Thakur said that 200 new buses have been added to the fleet of the HRTC to provide better and comfortable transport facilities to the people of the State. He said that a provision of Rs. 377 crore have been made in the Budget for the State Transport. He said that the State Government would sympathetically consider the demand of the drivers for their promotion since a driver even after putting in services of over 30 to 35 years retires as drivers and have no promotion avenues.
Chief Minister was also presented a cheque of Rs. 1.51 lakh by the Drivers Union as contribution towards the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund.
Founder of HRTC Driver’s Union Satya Prakash Sharma, while welcoming the Chief Minister in the function, said that drivers of HRTC has been providing round the clock services to the people of the State. He said that the Corona pandemic has badly affected the economy of the State, but the State Government had ensured that the drivers get salary on time so that their families do not face any hardship for which he expressed his gratitude towards Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur.
Jal Shakti Minister Mahender Singh Thakur, MP Ram Swaroop Sharma, MLAs Rakesh Jamwal, Jawahar Thakur, Vinod Kumar and Prakash Rana, former MLA D.D. Thakur and Kanhiya Lal, Chairman Milkfed, Nihal Chand Sharma, Chairman Waqf Board Rajbali, District BJP President Ranveer Singh, General Secretary Child Welfare Council Payal Vaidya, Chairperson Mandi Nagar Parishad Suman Thakur, BJP Mandal President Manish Kapoor, Chairman Zila Parishad Pal Verma, Deputy Commissioner Mandi Rugved Thakur, SP Mandi Shalini Agnihotri were also present on the occasion
