Leaders of the Andhra Pradesh Teachers’ Federation (APTF) have taken exception to the YSRCP government’s decision to freeze Dearness Allowance (DA) for employees till June 2021.
In a statement on Saturday, APTF president and general secretary K. Bhanumurthy and P. Panduranga Varaprasad said that in view of the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent lockdown, and floods in the State, the prices of essential commodities and vegetables had gone up.
“The looming threat of the virus makes good diet mandatory. Those who have contracted the virus need to buy medicines. At this crucial juncture, freezing the DA and Dearness Relief (DR) is uncalled for,” they said.
The anti-people policies of the State and Central governments were adding to the existing problems of the common man, the leaders alleged, and saw the need for launching a united battle against the policies that were detrimental to their interests.
The Finance Department, in its order on Friday, attributed the decision to the outbreak of COVID-19 and the resultant lockdown, which led to businesses shutting down and steep fall in government’s revenue.
The order is applicable to the teaching and non-teaching staff working in the government and aided educational institutions and polytechnics, and employees under local bodies, and those governed by the University Grants Commission / All India Council for Technical Education scales of pay.
The order is also applicable to judicial officers who are drawing National Judicial Pay Commission scales and those drawing Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) scales.
