VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu announced a Diwali gift to government employees on Saturday. The government has decided to release a Dearness Allowance (DA) instalment from November 1. A total of Rs 160 crore will be paid as DA to employees.
The government has also decided to clear surrender leave payment to police in two instalments. A sum of Rs 105 crore will be paid in November, and another Rs 105 crore in January.
Speaking to mediapersons at his Camp Office in Undavalli after holding talks with leaders of the employees’ associations, and the Group of Ministers, Naidu showered a slew of boons on employees.
Besides assuring to provide better medical care to employees by streamlining the system within 60 days, he also announced that the staff can utilise their 180 days of child care leave till their retirement.
Promotions pending for RTC employees will be cleared, and property tax will be waived for the employee association buildings. A decision with regard to constitution of the new Pay Revision Commission will be taken later, Naidu said.
Despite precarious finances of the State, decisions to pay DA and clear surrender leave payment were taken as employees play a key role in the implementation of development programmes, Naidu said.
GoM promises employees to resolve pending issues
Explaining in detail that Rs 51,452 crore is being spent on the establishment, he said neighbouring States had reduced it in the past five years. The decisions taken by the previous government had pushed the State into a financial crisis. “Though the financial health of the State is not well, we have decided to resolve some of the issues of employees,” he said.
Earlier in the day, leaders of several employees’ associations met the Group of Ministers (GoM) at the State Secretariat, and held talks on the pending issues.
The GoM comprising Ministers Payyavula Keshav (Finance), Nadendla Manohar (Civil Supplies) and Y Satya Kumar Yadav (Medical and Health) interacted with the employees’ leaders, and promised to resolve the pending issues despite financial constraints. Later, the GoM, along with the leaders of employees’ associations, met the Chief Minister at his Camp Office, who announced the DA as a Diwali gift.
