HYDERABAD: Decks have been cleared for the announcement on implementation of the Pay Revision Commission (PRC) report with the Election Commission of India (ECI) giving the go-ahead to the state government.
The state government has sought a clarification from the Election Commission on announcement of pay revision for the employees in view of the by-election for Nagarjuna Sagar Assembly seat on April 17.
In reply, the ECI said that it has no objection from the Model Code of Conduct angle, subject to the condition that no undue publicity in this regard may be done by anyone anywhere for attaining political mileage through it particularly in the district where the election is underway. The letter was signed by Avinash Kumar, secretary, Election Commission of India.
When contacted Chief Electoral Officer Shashank Goel said that they had received the clarification from the State government on Saturday which they had sent to Election Commission which in turn gave the go-ahead signal on Sunday.
A few days before the elections to two graduates’ constituencies of the State Legislative Council, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao reportedly assured employee unions that fitment in their pay would be two to three percent more than what the AP government was paying. Since AP government had announced 27 per cent, the Telangana employees unions expect that it would be about 29 per cent of their basic pay.
Leaders of TGOs and TNGOs - V Mamatha and M Rajender - then claimed that the Chief Minister had promised them to make an announcement in the Assembly after March 19. When he makes the announcement, they may also include enhancement of employees’ retirement age from 58 to 61 years. The employees were elated since the PRC in its recommendations recommended only 7.5 per cent fitment.
Earlier in the day, Tourism Minister V Srinivasa Goud said that Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao will make an announcement of the implementation of the Pay Revision Commission.
"Very soon, the chief minister will come out with a statement that would please the employees," he said, at a function organised by the Telangana Teachers' Union. He said the chief minister will keep in mind the role employees had played in the Telangana movement while making the announcement, he said.