Harish Rao Accuses Congress Government of Shortchanging SCCL Workers’ Profits

T Harish Rao Criticizes Congress Government for Inadequate Bonus to Singareni Workers

Hyderabad: Siddipet MLA T Harish Rao has criticized the Congress government for raising the bonus for permanent employees of Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) by only Rs 20,000 this year, despite the company recording a profit of Rs 4,701 crore.

In a media statement on Saturday, Rao highlighted that while SCCL earned a profit of Rs 2,222 crore in the financial year 2022-23, 32% of that amount—approximately Rs 710 crore—was distributed among the workers. However, this year’s substantial profit of Rs 4,701 crore warranted a significantly larger bonus, he argued. According to Rao, workers were expected to receive around Rs 1,550 crore based on a promised 33% share of profits, yet the government declared only Rs 796 crore, which equates to a mere 16.9% of total profits.

Rao pointed out that while the Telangana government reported a profit of Rs 4,701 crore, it calculated the bonus based only on Rs 2,412 crore, “conveniently ignoring” the remaining Rs 2,289 crore. He expressed strong discontent, stating, “The BRS party condemns the government’s decision to reduce the workers’ share of the profits by 50%. Despite their relentless efforts leading to record profits, the Congress government dashed their hopes for a fair bonus.”

Rao also questioned the whereabouts of the unallocated Rs 754 crore, emphasizing the stark disparity between the profits and the workers’ compensation. He noted that each worker is receiving only Rs 20,000 more than last year, calling it a gross underestimation of their contributions.

Reflecting on historical context, Rao mentioned that in the undivided Andhra Pradesh from 2008-09 to 2010-11, Singareni workers received only 16% of the profits. However, he highlighted that following the formation of Telangana, Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao (KCR) had progressively increased the profit share for workers from 21% in 2014-15 to 32% by 2022-23.

He also addressed the plight of contract workers, stating that their situation was “equally disheartening,” with the number of contract workers reduced and bonuses limited to only 5,000 individuals.

In closing, Harish Rao demanded that the Congress government rectify its approach and ensure that Singareni workers receive the fair share they deserve, advocating for justice and recognition of their significant contributions to the company’s success.