Member of the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council (MLC) from Progressive Democratic Forum (PDF) I. Venkateswara Rao, on February 18 (Sunday), demanded wage revision for Village Revenue Assistants (VRAs) on the lines of their counterparts in Telangana.
Addressing a relay hunger strike launched by members of the Andhra Pradesh Village Revenue Assistants’ Association at Dharna Chowk in Vijayawada, Mr. Venkateswara Rao said the government had remained indifferent to the VRAs’ repeated pleas for salary hike.
Centre for Indian Trade Union’s AP State president T. Anji, secretary Ch. Narsingha Rao and general secretary Umamaheswara Rao slammed the government for not heeding their plea to appoint VRAs to the vacant posts of attenders, watchmen, record assistants and drivers in government departments. Alleging that the VRAs were being overburdened with work in the name of re-surveys, they demanded payment of TA and DA for them.
Informing that a protest notice was given to the officials on February 7, they said if the government failed to concede their demands by February 20, the association would resort to an indefinite strike.
Kula Vivaksha Vyatireka Porata Samithi (KVPS) State general secretary A. Malyadri said the government should immediately concede the fair demands of the VRAs. He said the KVPS would extend its full support to the cause of the VRAs and help the association take its fight to its logical end.
