Settle benefits for transport employees: OPS

Chennai : AIADMK coordinator O Panneerselvam charged the DMK government for not settling retirement benefits for the transport employees. The former Chief Minister said that the DMK government, which promised to implement the old retirement scheme, has not taken steps after coming to power in the State. “Instead, the DMK government has not given any benefits to the retired transport employees, who were sent empty-handed,” he added. Pointing out that as of May 31, 2022, a total of 1,072 transport staff across the State have retired, he said “Ofthe total retired staff, only 49 staff received two lakh each and similarly, as many as 72 retired employees from Kumbakkonam Transport Corporation have received only between Rs 15,000 and Rs 22,000”. Stating the remaining 951 retired transport employees have not received any money, the AIADMK coordinator said “As it was done earlier, even post-dated cheque was not given to them”. “As there is no clue when the retirement benefits will be distributed”, he said adding as the retired employees will not get salaries from this month, they are in a tight spot on how to run their families. The deputy leader of the opposition in the House also claimed that the transport staff would have made several plans, including fixing marriage for their children and admitting them to higher education institutions, from the retirement benefits. “It is a bolt from the blue for the retired employees, who were still paying housing loans,” he said adding that the government inaction will also push them into debt, and it looks piercing the spear in the wounds. Claiming that the retired employees were under severe stress as they do not receive their retirement benefits, the AIADMK leader said “The chief minister should immediately intervene in the issue and take steps to settle the retirement benefits for them”.