Pawar to felicitate BEST retired workers

Mumbai, July 8: Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar will felicitate the retired workers of Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking on the occasion of its 61st foundation day, to be celebrated on July 10, said Sharad Rao general secretary of BEST Workers' Union.

Talking to reporters here today, Mr Rao said the retired BEST workers would be feliciated at the hands of Mr Pawar on Tuesday at Shanmukhananad Hall.

He said the BEST Workers' Union was founded on July 10, 1946, as an internal union and in 1956, veteran union leader late P D'Mello was elected as its president. He signed the first agreement on wages in May 1958.

In the beginning, a worker was drawing a salary of Rs 1.45 to Rs 2.65 per day. Now, an employee earnes Rs 9,500 per month.

Giving details about the undertaking's financial position for the year 2005-06, he said the undertaking's opening balance was more than Rs 400 crore and closing balance Rs 184.42 crore. In that year, the undertaking spent Rs 103.81 crore for the purchase of buses and equipment for electric supply. The same year, it reduced the liabilities by Rs 169.52 crore, he added.

UNI