The DMK, the Opposition party in the Union Territory, has expressed dismay over the government’s delay in settling service benefits of retired employees of the Pondicherry Road Transport Corporation (PRTC).
In a statement on Tuesday, DMK’s Puducherry convenor R. Siva said that 62 PRTC employees, who retired from service in 2021, were yet to receive the benefits. Despite three years of retirement, the employees were awaiting their dues, including gratuity and earned leave, he said, adding that there was no dearth of funds in the PRTC to pay gratuity to the retired staff.
The workers have a right over their gratuity dues, he said, adding that they would be unable to manage only with the pension received from the Employees Provident Fund.
Hitting out at senior officials over non-payment of the benefits, Mr. Siva said that “a section of officers was not doing its work properly.”
The party submitted a memorandum to Transport Secretary Muthamma, seeking her intervention in settling the dues.