Less than a day after holding discussions with employees associations on implementation of the Pay Revision Commission (PRC) and other demands, Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has announced that the retirement age would be raised to 62 years from the existing 60.
Apart from announcing a fitment of 23% against 14.29% recommended by the committee headed by the Chief Secretary, Mr. Jagan also showered a slew of benefits and gains, including housing plots, compassionate appointments, clearing of the pending Dearness Allowance (DA), etc,.
The State government would have to bear an additional burden of ₹10,247 crore per annum with the decisions taken now.
In another major decision, the State government decided to follow the recommendations of the Central Pay Commission (CPC) in future while revising the wages of government employees.
The Chief Minister held a meeting with 13 employees’ associations on implementation of the Pay Revision Commission (PRC) at his camp office on Friday.
“I asked for 2 to 3 days to announce the decision. But, I felt it is better to announce the decision at the earliest. So, a meeting with officials was convened again in the morning. I am announcing the decisions with a compassion and heart to do good for the employees,” Mr. Jagan said, while talking to the associations’ leaders.
Hike in fitment
The government had decided to increase the fitment by 9% from 14.29% recommended by the committee. A Cabinet Sub-Committee was constituted to look into the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) issue. A decision would be taken before June 30, he said, adding, jobs would be provided to family members of the employees who died of COVID-19, under compassionate grounds by the end of June.
The Chief Minister, reminding the employees about the consequences of bifurcation of State, negative impact of COVID pandemic on the State finances, and possible effect of Omicron variant, said the officials asserted it was not possible to give a fitment more than 14.29%. They also recommended that the monetary benefits should be extended from April 2020, new scales from October, 2022.
“I am told that we should relax some restrictions and keep the aspirations of employees in mind,” he added.
Finance Minister Buggana Rajendranath Reddy, Government Adviser Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy and others were present.
