Minister Sarnaik directs ST staff be paid November salary before Diwali

Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik has issued an important directive so that about 83,000 officers and employees of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (ST) have a good Diwali. Sarnaik is also the chairman of the ST corporation. He has asked the ST administration to act immediately to pay the November salary before Diwali.

Salaries of ST corporation officers and employees are usually paid between the 7th and 10th of each month. This time, however, the Diwali festival begins on November 6, so employees must receive their pay before the festival. They have shopping to do with their families, household expenses to meet and other arrangements to make, and for this the pay must reach them on time. With this in mind, Minister Sarnaik has asked the administration to take the steps needed for the salary.

Under the directive, the ST corporation's finance and planning department must immediately press the government to pay salaries before Diwali. The grant needed for employees' salaries is to come from the government. The department has also been asked to make special efforts to ensure that the amount still due from the government as reimbursement for last month's various passenger concession schemes is also received on time.

Sarnaik made it clear that the ST corporation's financial difficulties should not dim the employees' festive joy. He said the administration should give the matter top priority. It should plan the disbursal of salaries in coordination so that the necessary funds are received from the government, and ensure that employees are paid before Diwali.

The transport minister's decision has given ST employees some relief. It remains to be seen how the ST finance and planning department acts on it, since only coordination with the government will make Diwali sweet for ST employees.