National Backward Classes Welfare Association has requested Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao not increase the superannuation age for government employees from the present 58 years to 60 years since such a decision would have an adverse impact on the unemployed youth in the wake of shrinking job opportunities due to COVID-19 impact.
In a statement, president of the association R. Krishnaiah has, however, said that they would have no objection to the increase in retirement age provided the government fills the two lakh existing vacancies first. In case, the government takes a decision to increase the upper age limit for retirement without filling the vacancies, the association would oppose it strongly and build a movement of the unemployed youth against it.
The ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) has made a poll promise before the December 2018 Assembly elections that their government, if voted back to power, would increase the retirement age of government staff to 61 years. Ever since, the government has been keeping quiet on the issue although the employees associations have been reminding the government of its promise frequently.
Unemployed youth
Stating that about 16 lakh qualified unemployed youth were waiting for an opportunity to vie for two lakh vacancies in the government, Mr. Krishnaiah sought to know what would be their fate if the retirement age of those who had already served for 25 to 30 years in government posts. Such a move would further push the unemployed youth into distress, which he said was claiming at least two-three lives every day.
He suggested the employees associations to build pressure on the government to fill the existing vacancies before demanding increase in the retirement age. Visit to any government office would have scenes of empty chairs due to vacancies as there had been no regular recruitment exercise in Telangana when the neighbouring States were filling vacancies every year.
Mr. Krishnaiah alleged that the government was not filling the vacancies to save ₹10,000 crore budget allotment, which is mandatory, for the vacant sanctioned posts and diverting the same to other schemes. He criticised the government that it had not given even one job to each village, leave alone one job to each family.
