MSRTC seeks Rs 3,600 cr from Maharashtra govt to pay salaries, meet essential expenses

Mumbai: The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation has sought Rs 3,600 crore from the state government for payment of salaries and other essential expenses, state transport minister Anil Parab said on Friday. The state-run corporation has not paid the salaries of its employees for the last three months, and to pay them was its priority, the minister said. Parab, who is also the chairman of the MSRTC, told reporters that the corporation was trying to raise money through external means too. The MSRTC needs Rs 292 crore per month for paying salaries. The cumulative losses of the transport body have ballooned to over Rs 5,500 crore, he said. The MSRTC used to earn Rs 22 crore every day before the coronavirus outbreak, but presently its revenue from passenger services has fallen to barely Rs 5-6 crore, he said. For salaries and to bear the minimum cost of keeping its buses running, the MSRTC has sought Rs 3,600 crore from the government, Parab said, adding that the state government too is facing financial strain as revenues have shrunk.