(MENAFN- IANS) Mumbai, Oct 13 (IANS) Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Monday announced to give Rs 6,000 as Diwali gift to nearly 85,000 employees and officers of the state-run Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC), provide Rs 65 crore per month to the corporation to give the salary difference along with salary as well as give Rs 12,500 as Diwali advance to eligible employees.

Deputy Chief Minister Shinde, who was accompanied by the State Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik, made this announcement after his meeting with the MSRTC employee organisations and action committee.

The Deputy Chief Minister said, "The state faces a difficult situation due to heavy rains. The state government is standing firmly with the farmers. The government has taken the decision today so that the Diwali of MSRTC employees should also be sweet. At the same time, it is necessary to make MSRTC economically prosperous. Various measures are being taken to increase the income of the MSRTC. For this, he said that the lands occupied by MSRTC will be developed on a public-private partnership basis."

He added that the state government has agreed to provide a grant of about Rs 51 crore to give Rs 6,000 as a Diwali gift to all government employees and officers.

The difference in salary increase between 2020-24 will be given to the employees every month along with their salary, and the state government has made a provision of Rs 65 crore for it.

Those eligible employees, who are willing to take the festival advance, will also be given Rs 12,500 and for this the MSRTC has demanded Rs 54 crore from the government, Minister Sarnaik said.

Meanwhile, Minister Sarnaik added that infrastructure of the MSRTC should be strengthened in Sindhudurg district.

Considering the geographical expansion of the district, the transport service should be enabled by providing buses in that proportion, he said.

He was speaking after he chaired a meeting regrading various issues related to the MSRTC in Sindhudurg district.

Minister Sarnaik added that five buses should be provided to Vengurla and Kudal depots.

Considering the number of passengers and government offices at Oros, the bus station should be expanded.

The bus station should be developed on the basis of Public-Private Partnership (PPP) and a spacious bus station should be created.

"Planning should be done keeping in mind the number of employees and the number of buses. Care should be taken to ensure that buses do not stop due to lack of employees, causing inconvenience to passengers," the Minister said.

He also directed that an officer should be appointed on the vacant post of Divisional Controller in Sindhudurg district.

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