Telangana staff who opted for AP face local ire

The Andhra Pradesh Non-Gazetted Officers Association is exerting pressure on the Chief Minister to come out with an ordinance confining the retirement age for TS employees who opted for AP state service to 58 years, as against 60 years for AP employees.

APNGOs general secretary Chandrasekhar Reddy told this correspondent that nearly 700 TS employees opted for AP after Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu increased the superannuation age from 58 years to 60 years in the residuary state.

“The AP government employees will lose promotions and seniority as several TS employees in the cadre of Joint Director who are on the verge of retirement have opted for AP to avail two more years of service and other benefits as the retirement age in AP service is 60 years. We are expecting that the state government will soon come out with an ordinance with amendments to service rules and confining retirement age only in case of TS employees in AP service to 58 years,” Mr Chandrasekhar Reddy said.

Sources said the state government has taken legal opinion and it has been told that the state has powers to amend rules and confine retirement age to 58 in case of TS employees who opted for AP service.

However, senior officials in the Law Department and General Administration Department refused to comment on the subject. “It is a sensitive issue. Let the government decide it at the highest level. How can we say yes or no at this juncture,” said a senior official.