Pune: Employees of Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML) continue to wait for the arrears from the Seventh Pay Commission, despite an earlier announcement that the first installment would be disbursed within four days.
The disbursement has been delayed due to Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporations failing to release their combined share of ₹561 crore to PMPML.
This delay has caused widespread frustration among employees who have been awaiting these payments for over five years.
The issue was discussed in a meeting held on August 26, chaired by Guardian Minister Ajit Pawar, where PMPML’s administration was instructed to begin disbursing the Seventh Pay Commission arrears and to regularize 1,748 daily-wage workers who have completed 240 days of service.
It was decided that the arrears would be paid in four phases. However, these promises have not yet materialized, leaving the employees questioning when the actual payments will occur.
According to the details of the case, ₹561 crore is required to pay the arrears to all 11,000 PMPML employees for the period from April 1, 2017, to November 2022.
The Pune Municipal Corporation, which owns a 60% stake in PMPML, is responsible for providing ₹336 crore, while the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation, holding a 40% stake, needs to contribute ₹224 crore. Despite these obligations, the necessary funds have not been transferred to PMPML, causing further delays in the payment process.
PMPML Chairperson and Managing Director Deepa Mudhol-Munde confirmed that both Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporations have been formally requested to disburse the required amounts.
However, no funds have been received so far, and the delay continues to hinder the disbursement of arrears to the employees. She assured that once the funds are received from the municipal corporations, they will be immediately distributed to the employees.
The long-standing issue of unpaid arrears has been a significant source of discontent among PMPML employees. Despite the implementation of the Seventh Pay Commission in December 2022, the non-payment of arrears dating back to April 2017 has severely impacted the financial well-being of the staff.