VIJAYAWADA: Expressing resentment over the notification on the revised pay scale for employees issued Monday night, employees associations’ JACs claimed that it is against what was assured to them and decided to intensify their agitations.
“We feel betrayed. It is for the first time in the State that incentives given to employees by the previous government as per previous PRC, were removed by the present government. We have decided to intensify our agitation and will chalk out our future course of action on January 20,” JAC Amaravati president Boppa Raju told the media on Tuesday in the presence of JAC president Bandi Srinivas Rao and others on Tuesday.
The association leaders said they are ready to go on a strike if it will achieve justice to more than 11 lakh employees in the state. As a notice has to be issued before the strike, the issue is likely to be discussed at length during Thursday’s meeting. Meanwhile, secretariat employees will be staging protests to express their resentment over the government’s decision. A memorandum demanding rollback of the GO was submitted in the office of the Chief Secretary.
Bopparaju said the government order on the pay hike in accordance with 11th PRC was totally unscientific and illogical. “Yesterday was a Black Day for all the employees and pensioners in the State. The day after announcing fitment, Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy asked us to discuss other issues pertaining HRA, CCA and additional pension with the chief secretary and others, but we were not given a chance for the same. On Monday, unilaterally they issued notification on the revised pay scale, which is not acceptable,” he said.
Srinivas Rao said they are dissatisfied with the fitment being less than the interim relief of 27 per cent, and “today even the hard earned HRA, CCA and additional pensions in the previous PRC were taken away from us.” “What right does this government has to take away our benefits given in the past after a prolonged struggle? This is perhaps the first time that such a thing has happened in the history of AP.”
Both the leaders pointed out that the Chief Minister had said the State will follow Central PRC norms next time onwards, but Monday’s notification showed that provisions from the 11th PRC are being implemented, which is totally unjustified.
“The government has not given any benefits to employees. In fact, they were taken away. As per the old PRC, a superintendent-cadre employee in the state draws `49,000 per month; and if the new PRC is implemented, he will draw `2,000 less i.e. `47,000. Please tell us what benefit this government is giving to us. In fact, they are claiming the dearness allowance, which is the right of the employees as increments,” Boppa Raju said.
TDP MLC Paruchuri Ashok Babu strongly objected to what he described as ‘pay reverse orders’ issued by the state government without conceding the demands of the employees and their associations. YSRC rebel MP K Raghurama Krishnam Raju said he will observe a one-day fast at his residence in New Delhi.