Central pay scales may not be beneficial for employees at higher-levels
Hyderabad: Not much cheer has come the way of all Telangana employees following central pay scales announced by Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Wednesday.
The employees contend that the demand for central pay scales came up in the first few years of the millennium, when the salaries were lower for the staff during the N. Chandrababu Naidu regime.
Subsequently, their salaries witnessed a steep hike during the Congress regime when two PRCs were constituted and implemented. The latest 10th PRC report is pending with the state government and employees expect further increase in salaries with its implementation.
Employees apprehend that they may have to forego their hike now if central pay scales are implemented at this stage. They say the situation is totally different now, when compared with Mr Rao’s promise on central pay scales in 2001 when the TRS was formed. Moreover, central pay scales are revised once in 10 years while the state scales once in five years.
However, employees with comparatively lower salaries like teachers, Group-III and Group-IV employees are a happier lot as their salaries will increase significantly by up to 40 per cent over present scales.
“The central pay scales may not be beneficial for employees at higher-levels working in the secretariat, directorates and commissionerates. At gazetted officers level this will not amount to much as they are already drawing salaries over the central pay scales. However, at lower-levels like teachers, salaries may increase up to 40 per cent. Even NGOs will get good hikes,” said A. Padma Chary, Telangana Employees Association leader.
Teachers said there is a difference of about 40 per cent between state and central pay scales at present and if new scales are implemented, this gap can be bridged.
