Employees have to remind govt of its duty: APJAC Amaravati

Ongole (Prakasam district): APJAC Amaravati chairman Bopparaju Venkateswarlu stated that the employees were left with no option but to remind the government of its duties and responsibilities towards them. They have no other demands except asking for their rightful salaries, pensions, dues and repayment of the employees' fund that the government illegally used, he added.

Speaking after meeting the employees' leaders at the AP Revenue Association office in Ongole on Friday, Venkateswarlu said that they are still cooperating with the government but asking for benefits under 11th PRC and the dues pending for the last three-and-a-half years. He said that he questioned the officers in a recent meeting on how they could decide to pay the arrears after retirement, and when could the proposed committee submit the report.

He questioned, "If a private company fails to pay salaries and other benefits in time, the employees reach out to the government for help. What they should do when the government itself failed to pay the salaries on time?" He said ground-level employees like VRAs and VROs are falling victims to loan apps and committing suicides for the government's failure in paying their salaries on time. The outsourcing employees and staff at village and ward secretariats are being exploited, by not regularising, not declaring their probation and implementing their pay scale, he criticised.

Venkateswarlu demanded that the government conduct an official meeting with the associations, make the promise of fulfilment of their demands in writing and announce a route map for achieving it. He said the APJAC Amaravati is ready for discussions with the government anytime but advised the employees to be ready for the agitation from March 9. He also advised other associations and organisations to come forward to join them for the benefit of all employees and requested support from the workers' unions and public fronts.