Hyderabad: The “Telangana special increment” announced by Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao for state government employees has stirred up a controversy.
While the government is planning to give the special increment in July, Telangana employees who were allotted to Andhra Pradesh government want it to be given only after they are re-allotted to Telangana. Some employees also want the special increment only for those who actively took part in Telangana agitation.
However, Mr Rao is averse to imposing any restrictions on special increment anticipating trouble from employees in the future. Mr Rao plans to extend the increment to all employees as a “thanksgiving gesture” for their active role in Telangana movement.
In his maiden speech at Parade Grounds, Secunderabad, soon after taking oath as first Chief Minister of Telangana on June 2, Mr Rao announced his government’s decision to give “Telangana special increment” to employees.
Mr Rao said, “The contribution of employees in achieving Telangana cannot be expressed in words. Without them, achieving Telangana state would not have been possible. Employees going on general strike for 45 days as part of Sakala Janula Samme to achieve separate state was never heard of anywhere in the world. As a token of love and appreciation the TRS government wants to give a Telangana special increment to employees.”
Mr Rao recently held a meeting with officials of the finance department and directed them to ready the file pertaining to sanctioning of the special increment. He also asked officials to work out modalities for considering the 45-day strike period during Sakala Janula Samme as ‘on-duty’ and pay salary to that effect.
Officials estimate the burden to be around Rs 570 crore on the state, if given to all Telangana employees.
Officials are planning to seek legal opinion on the issue in view of the AP High Court order on ‘no work-no pay’ rule.
