Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Friday said that the drivers of Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) buses have played a major role during the Corona pandemic in bringing back home lakhs of Himachalis stranded in different parts of the country.
Addressing the State Level 9th Foundation Day function of Himachal Pradesh Road Transport Corporation Drivers’ Union at Mandi, he said that thousands of students were also brought back home from far-off places such as Kota in Rajasthan.
The chief minister said that roads are lifelines of the economy for the hilly states like Himachal Pradesh. He said that this makes the role of drivers of the HRTC buses further more important.
He said that the drivers of the Corporation are 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 buses do not suffer and thus they were provided all their dues well in time. 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 has been made in the budget for the state Transport. The chief minister said 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.
The 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 Drivers’ Union Satya Prakash Sharma said that drivers of HRTC have 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 ensured that the drivers get salary on time so that their families do not face any hardship.