State clears Rs 391.02 crore for ST, funds ready for pre-Diwali salaries

The Maharashtra government has sanctioned Rs 391.02 crore for the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (ST), clearing the way for its staff to be paid before Diwali. The money is meant to compensate the corporation for the fare concessions it gave passengers in September 2026. The government resolution was issued on October 27, 2026.

Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik, who also chairs the ST corporation, had followed the file closely. A promise had been made that officers and employees would get their pay ahead of the festival, so that their Diwali would be a happy one, and the sanction is being seen as an important step towards keeping it. His persistent effort has now produced a result.

The corporation has about 83,000 officers and employees. Their salaries are normally paid between the 7th and 10th of every month. This year Diwali begins on November 6, and employees had asked and hoped to be paid before then. Mr Sarnaik therefore told the ST administration to move urgently, and the transport department and the administration chased the government for the required funds.

The concession reimbursement matters a great deal to the corporation's finances. Schemes such as the Mahila Sanman Yojana, along with concessions for senior citizens and several other categories of passengers, let people travel at lower fares, with the state government meeting the cost. They place a heavy burden on the corporation, and when the reimbursement arrives on time its financial dealings move faster. The latest sum is expected to help with other financial obligations too, besides salaries.

Mr Sarnaik said the government and the ST administration must work in step so that money troubles do not dim the festive joy of the staff. "ST is not merely a transport service but an integral part of the lives of lakhs of citizens in Maharashtra. The officers and employees who keep this service running round the clock are the true strength of the corporation. It is our sincere position that their families too should be able to celebrate Diwali joyfully. The government has taken an important decision towards keeping the word we gave that employees should receive their wages before Diwali. Now the ST administration should complete the process of disbursing the wages urgently."

With the funds sanctioned, the money can now be used for pay. However, the date on which salaries will reach employees' bank accounts has not yet been made clear, and the next move by the ST administration is awaited.