Delhi govt accepts DTC workers' demands, promises salary hike and electric bus training
New Delhi (PTI): Delhi Chief Minister Atishi announced on Monday that all Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) drivers will be trained to operate electric buses as part of the city’s plan to transition its entire bus fleet to electric vehicles.
She also assured that senior drivers, particularly assistant ticket inspectors, would be given priority for employment in the new electric bus fleet.
Addressing a press conference, Atishi stated that the Delhi government had agreed to several key demands made by DTC workers, who had recently gone on strike to protest their working conditions.
"DTC bus services play a crucial role in Delhi’s transportation system. There are 4,500 contractual drivers and 17,850 contractual conductors in DTC. Recently, they went on strike. We listened to their demands, which are absolutely justified. I want to thank them for ending the strike and responding to our appeal after two days of protests. We are working on addressing their demands," she said.
One of the primary issues raised by the workers was the transfer of female DTC employees stationed at the Sarojini Nagar Pink Bus Depot.
Atishi said that the government had resolved this issue by transferring the workers back to their original depots, addressing a major point of contention that led to the strike.
Another significant concern was the workers' request for postings closer to their homes. Atishi explained that the Delhi government had introduced a new policy aimed at rationalising duty stations for drivers and conductors.
"An online form will be created so that all drivers can provide their details, and an online list will be released to make the process more transparent," she said. The new policy aims to ensure that workers are assigned to depots nearer to their homes, she added.
In response to the workers' demand for improved compensation, the Delhi government has given in-principle approval for a proposal to increase the salaries of contractual drivers and conductors, the CM said.
This proposal will include Dearness Allowance (DA) and grade pay, which were previously not part of their salary, she explained.
"Contractual drivers currently receive a daily wage of Rs 843, totaling Rs 21,918 per month. They did not receive DA or grade pay. They have requested a consolidated amount instead of daily wages,” she added.
The government has approved the proposal, and within the next one to two months, workers will begin receiving salaries according to their grade pay, Atishi said.
"As per the proposal, contractual conductors will see their salary rise to Rs 29,250 from Rs 21,900, and contractual drivers will receive Rs 32,918, up from Rs 21,918," Atishi stated.
The cost of this salary increase will be Rs 222 crore, which will be borne by the Delhi government, she said.
The government is also in the process of finalising a proposal to make these contractual workers permanent in the near future, Atishi added.
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SGPC writes to Mann, seeks ban on 'Emergency' in Punjab a day before release
Amritsar, Jan 16 (PTI): The SGPC on Thursday wrote to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, seeking a ban on the release of Kangana Ranaut's movie 'Emergency' saying it "tarnishes" the image of Sikhs and "misrepresents" history.
Actor and BJP MP Ranaut's 'Emergency' is slated to release in cinemas on January 17.
In the letter to Mann, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee chief Harjinder Singh Dhami expressed strong objection to Ranaut's film.
Dhami said that if the film is released in Punjab, it will spark "outrage and anger" in the Sikh community and therefore it is the responsibility of the government to ban its release in the state.
The SGPC, an apex gurdwara body, had earlier also protested the film.
"It has come to our attention that the movie 'Emergency' produced by BJP MP Kangana Ranaut is going to be released on 17th January 2025 in cinemas in different cities of Punjab and the tickets have also started to be booked," its letter to Mann read.
Dhami said the SGPC had also protested the release of the movie in a letter to the Punjab Chief Secretary on November 14 last year.
"But it is sad that the Punjab government has not taken any step till now. If this film is released on January 17, 2025, then it is natural to create outrage and anger in the Sikh world," the current letter read.
Dhami said the SGPC will submit a letter also to all the deputy commissioners in Punjab, seeking a ban on the film in the state.
The SGPC denounced the "character assassination" of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, the Khalistani militant killed in 1984 in a military operation.
"If this film is released in Punjab, we will be forced to strongly oppose it at the state level," Dhami said.
In August last year, the SGPC sent a legal notice to the producers of the 'Emergency' film, alleging that it "misrepresented" the character and history of Sikhs, and asked them to remove the objectionable scenes depicting "anti-Sikh" sentiments.
In the notice, the producers of the film, including Kangana Ranaut, were asked to remove the trailer released on August 14 from all public and social media platforms and tender a written apology to the Sikh community.
The SGPC objected to film writing separate letters to the Minister of Information and Broadcasting and the Central Board of Film Certification.
