Transport dept sanctions ₹303 cr for payment of benefits to employees

CHENNAI: After a long wait, transport corporation employees who took voluntary retirement and families of the employees who died while in service between April 2021 and March 2022 would get their retirement and terminal dues with the state transport department sanctioning Rs 303 crore.

According to the transport department sources, over 500 employees and their families would get their financial benefits through the government order allocating a fund of Rs 303 crore.

The benefits would be paid to the employees and families of the deceased employees on Monday.

Tamil Nadu State Transport Employees Federation (TNSTEF) general secretary Arumugha Nainar said that the government order was issued after his union took up the issue of the payment of retirement and terminal benefits to employees since April 2021 with the chief minister's office.

"Only the transport corporation employees are being made to wait for years together to get their retirement benefits and even terminal benefits for the deceased employees, " he said.

From May 2022 to February 2023, there are about 2,859 employees retired while 375 employees died during service and 119 persons took voluntary retirement.

A total of 3,353 employees and families of the deceased employees are yet to be paid benefits in the last year, he said.

He added that trade unions have been demanding the government to ensure the settlement of all the dues to the employees on the day of the retirement itself like in the government departments.