Employees Seek Early PRC Panel, Safeguards On Service Rights

Addressing the media, Vidyasagar and APJAC secretary general KSS Prasad said the JAC would not accept any rule or amendment that adversely affects government employees or curtails their legally guaranteed rights. They clarified that the provision relating to retirement after 33 years of service was not new and had been in place for over four decades, urging employees not to fall prey to rumours.

The APJAC chairman demanded the immediate appointment of the Pay Revision Commission (PRC) chairman, pending since July 2023. He urged the government to announce a clear decision on the PRC panel before the conclusion of the Assembly session beginning on Wednesday and to take up discussion on employees’ pending dues during the session.

Vidyasagar said the government had given assurances in November on six key demands, with orders already issued on five. He reiterated that employees under the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) should be brought under the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) as per existing rules. He also sought an increase in the retirement age to 62 years for employees of public sector undertakings and Gurukul schools.

The JAC demanded timely payment of retirement benefits, extension of welfare schemes to outsourcing employees, and resolution of issues faced by ward and village secretariat staff, including notional increments and promotions. Pensioners’ grievances from the previous regime should be addressed through a structured action plan announced in the Assembly, the leaders said.

In solidarity with the nationwide labour strike call on February 12, APJAC announced lunch-break protests at district collectorates across the state.