VIJAYAWADA: In a major administrative decision aimed at addressing six years of promotional stagnation among municipal grassroots personnel, the Andhra Pradesh government has issued formal orders operationalising structured promotional channels for four categories of Swarna Ward Secretariat functionaries.
The decision, following recent State Cabinet approval, establishes clear career progression pathways for thousands of ward-level employees recruited in 2019 who had been serving in the same cadres despite the initial notification of promotional hierarchies.
The newly notified promotional framework covers Ward Administrative Secretaries, Ward Data Processing Secretaries, Ward Sanitation & Environment Secretaries (Grade-II), and Ward Planning & Regulation Secretaries (Grade-II) deployed across Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) State-wide. To enable career advancement without creating additional financial liabilities for the exchequer or displacing serving staff, the Municipal Administration & Urban Development (MA&UD) Department restructured the cadre by rationalising 915 identified surplus and vacant Grade-II positions to create 815 new Junior Assistant posts.
These newly sanctioned Junior Assistant posts will facilitate immediate promotions for eligible Ward Administrative Secretaries, while the resulting vacancies in that cadre will open up promotional avenues for eligible Ward Data Processing Secretaries who can eventually progress to Senior Assistant roles.
Furthermore, the government upgraded 1,630 posts from Grade-II to Grade-I—allocating 815 upgraded positions each to the Ward Sanitation & Environment Secretary and Ward Planning & Regulation Secretary cadres, allowing them to advance into regular line positions such as Health & Sanitation Assistants and Town Planning Building Overseers, respectively. Minister for Municipal Administration & Urban Development Ponguru Narayana stated that the policy fulfils a long-pending commitment to municipal personnel, boosting morale and enhancing administrative accountability across urban governance. Principal Secretary (MA&UD) S Suresh Kumar highlighted that while digital tools and Artificial Intelligence are being integrated into municipal functions, accountable field-level staff remain vital for ground verification, enforcement, and civic service delivery.
He added that specialised training programs will be conducted via the APHRD Institute to upskill ward secretaries, following suggestions by the Chief Minister to review cadre designations to reflect their evolving duties, while promotional frameworks for Ward Welfare & Education Secretaries and Ward Amenities Secretaries will be finalised upon receiving reports from the designated Group of Secretaries.