No question of removing driver from duty: Transport Minister

Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar clarified that reports about the removal of TGSRTC driver B Ashok are false. Ashok is a hired bus driver, and the government has instructed that he should not be removed from duty.

Karimnagar: Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar said that the news being circulated about the removal of TGSRTC Jagtial depot driver B Ashok was completely false. There was no truth in it.

The minister, in a statement, said that Ashok was not an employee of TGSRTC and he was the driver of the hired bus. However, the owner of the bus was asked not to remove him from the duty. Opposition parties were trying to politicise the issue.

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Welcoming the comments made by Ashok, who spoke on behalf of the farmers, Prabhakar said that the government was ready to face the positive criticism. The entire government machinery was working on the paddy procurement process. In the wake of high yield, the number of procurement centers has also been enhanced besides deploying more lorries and increasing godown space.

Trouble has developed in the procurement process because of non-cooperation from the Union government. Despite the Center’s negligence, the state government was continuing the procurement process by giving top priority.

In this context, driver Ashok made comments. Stating that they welcomed the driver’s comments, the minister made it clear that RTC management has not instructed anybody to take action against the driver.

Prabhakar informed that he also instructed the RTC managing director as well as the owner of the hired bus that there was no question of removing Ashok from duty. Appealing to the people not to spread false information, he made it clear that Ashok would be allowed to continue his duties in the corporation without any disturbance.