Pending salary hike dues given to 86,000 MSRTC employees: Minister

Thane, Feb 25 (PTI) The pending salary hike dues have been credited to the bank accounts of nearly 86,000 employees of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC), Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik said on Wednesday.

When the corporation faced difficulty in clearing the arrears due to paucity of funds, the government immediately made a provision of Rs 100 crore, a statement issued by Sarnaik's spokesperson said quoting him.

"This is not just financial assistance but a reflection of the government's sensitivity and commitment towards employees," Sarnaik said.

The dues for February were deposited in the bank accounts of employees on Tuesday, the statement said.

In October 2025, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, with the consent of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and then Deputy CM Minister and Finance Minister Ajit Pawar, announced a monthly grant of around Rs 65 crore during a meeting with trade unions. The process of clearing arrears began in December.

However, due to technical issues and lack of funds, the February instalment could not be disbursed on time, leading to discontent among employees, the statement said.

Sarnaik said he had held discussions with Fadnavis and his deputies and demanded Rs 210 crore.

"Out of this, Rs 100 crore has been immediately released, and the remaining amount will also be made available soon," he said. PTI COR GK