New Delhi, Dec 9
Delhi Chief Minister Atishi on Monday reached out to the 22,000 contractual employees of Delhi Transport Corporation and assured them of a pay hike, regularisation of service, posting in depots close to their homes and re-skilling of drivers in running e-buses as the CNG fleet gets phased out.
Addressing a press conference, CM Atishi said a proposal is being sent to Lieutenant Governor V.K. Saxena for offering grade pay, in place of the current daily wage of Rs 843 or Rs 21,900 monthly, translating into a monthly salary of Rs 32,900 for contractual drivers and Rs 29,000 for contractual conductors.
“Hopefully, this proposal will be cleared soon and in a month or two, contract drivers and conductors will start getting regular grade pay, along with annual increments,” said CM Atishi, adding a proposal for regularisation of service of contractual staff will also be sent to the L-G.
The CM’s bonanza for DTC contractual staff in the run-up to elections is being seen as an effort by the ruling AAP to win over a sizable vote bank. The 22,000 contractual DTC staff, along with their family members, is considered to be capable of influencing results in dozens of constituencies in the rural belts in north and east Delhi.