CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy fulfils poll promise to outsourced staff

Amaravati: Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has launched the Andhra Pradesh Corporation for Outsourced Services (APCOS) for recruiting employees to various Departments in the Government putting away the previous practice of contractors controlling the outsourcing system.

As part of the reforms, the State Government has been undertaking bringing in transparency into the governance, APCOS was started to take care of the recruitment and salaries, including the ESI and PF benefits, in tune with the State's policy of providing 50 per cent reservation to the SCs, STs, BCs, minorities and women.

After the launch from his camp office here on Friday, the Chief Minister formally handed over the appointment letters to the outsourcing staff working with the General Administration Department (GAD) at the Secretariat while 50,449 letters will be handed over by the APCOS to the employees working in various Departments across the State.

"During my 3,648 km padayatra, people working as outsourcing employees have come to me with many complaints about the recruitment process, delay in salaries, bribes they have to pay for getting the job, the commissions they have to give for getting their pay and the like," the CM said.

"In some cases, the contractors were inflating the number of employees while carrying out the work with lesser number of employees and pocketing the remaining money. Besides the commissions, there was no accountability on the deductions of ESI and PF," he said.

"In one case, the cleaning and maintenance work of seven temples, which could hardly be Rs 4 lakh to Rs 7 lakh was given to a contractor by hiking it to 32 lakh to one Bhaskar Naidu, who happens to be a close relative of former Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu," he explained.

"By setting up APCOS, we will be putting an end to all such corruption and nepotism. All recruitments and salaries will be done online on time and under the supervision of the district collector concerned.

The incharge minister will also be in the committee, which will ensure that 50 per cent reservations are provided to the weaker sections and women," the Chief Minister said after launching the APCOS online at his camp office here on Friday.

In a word of caution, the Chief Minister said, now that there is no need for paying bribes or commissions, the employees should work sincerely and give their best.

This is one more poll promise fulfilled by YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. Some of the outsourcing employees, who spoke with the Chief Minister through video conference, said that they are happy with the setting up of APCOS and thanked him for keeping up his promise.

Earlier, salaries were delayed and they did not know whether the contribution from the employer side for ESI and PF amount being deducted from their pay was paid or not and they were working in uncertainty. They also said that their family has received various welfare schemes of the government, including Amma Vodi.