Government offers to review HRA

Vijayawada: Taken aback by the success of the Chalo Vijayawada organised by PRC Porata Samithi on Thursday and keeping in view the strike notice they had served; the State Government is said to have offered to review HRA and recovery of interim amount. Steering committee also demanded that the Ashutosh Committee report be made public. The ministers said that if the CM agrees they will do it.

The Ministers' committee is said to be examining the possibility of doing away with the CPS. But the stalemate continued as the steering committee wanted written assurance to defer their agitation. But it appears that the government is not willing to give written assurance. The government is also examining the possibility of invoking ESMA as utility services like Power sector and APSRTC have also given notice for strike.

From Saturday, the striking employees will uninstall all the service apps which could affect data updates of the medical and health, Education department, ICDS and Cooperative department.

PRC Porata Samithi steering committee members made it clear that they are left with no alternative except to continue their agitation if the State Government fails to respond to their demands, including suspension of PRC GOs and revealing Ashutosh Mishra committee report so far. The steering committee members also expressed objection over the comments of the Chief Secretary on interim relief as IR is an advance given by the government without interest.

PRC Sadhana Samithi leader Suryanarayana said that the employees lost two PRCs and there is no practice of recovery of interim relief from employees. He said that the State Government failed to respond so far though the employees demanded cancellation of PRC GOs. PRC Sadhana Samithi leader Bopparaju Venkateswarlu said that they were prepared to go on strike as the government failed to respond so far.

AP Secretariat employees' association president Venkatramireddy expressing objection over remarks of the Chief Secretary on interim relief said that employees only can understand the PRC in a better way. He said the government failed to respond even after the success of Chalo Vijayawada. He said no political party joined the Chalo Vijayawada programme. Another leader Bandi Srinivasa Rao said that the state government formed an anomalies committee on PRC means that it has agreed that there are some anomalies in the new PRC.

He alleged that the government has been trying to suppress the employees' agitation. He said that the government is trying to frighten employees through transfers. He said judicial employees also came forward to participate in the state-wide stir.

Meanwhile, AP Secretariat employees staged a pen down, system down and app down protest one day before as Saturday and Sunday are holidays for them. The employees staged a reverse walk at the Secretariat in protest against the government's attitude towards employees' demands.