Vijayawada: PRC split between govt, employees getting wider

Vijayawada: The issue of implementation of PRC by the State Government is getting complicated. While the Government on one hand is trying to transfer pension amount into the accounts of the pensioners to claim that new PRC has come into effect, the Joint Action Committees of the employees after 6-hour steering committee meeting urged upon the government to put on hold the decision and pay salaries which they were getting before PRC announcement.

While the steering committee was discussing the developments and the action plan they need to evolve and also work out guidelines to see that it was implemented perfectly right up to the grassroot level, they received a telephone call from Principal Secretary GAD asking them to come for talks with the 5-member committee at 12 noon on Monday. However, employees feel that since the Government had not given official validity to the committee and not issued any orders indicating its powers and terms of reference, there would be no point in attending any such meetings. It also decided to submit a strike notice to the Chief Secretary on Monday around 3 pm. As per the agitational programme, employees will go on relay hunger strike on January 27, 28, 29 and 30. On the Republic Day, they will march to the statue of Ambedkar and submit a memorandum. The union leaders took strong objection to the way the government was trying to forcefully implement the new PRC and how it was using social media and party leaders to defame the employees and their demands. They, however, called upon the employees not to criticize anyone individually or make any political comment.

They said no one should encourage any political party or leader to join the agitation. The union leaders said that never before did they see such a propaganda on social media or leaders of any ruling party taking up campaigns against employees. Even pamphlets on the salaries one would get before PRC and after PRC are being circulated in different parts of the State and that we strongly oppose. Spreading such falsehood was not good, they said. No government should create an atmosphere of confrontation. The employees are not waging war against the government. They are only demanding an amicable settlement under the given circumstances, the union leaders added.

The unions also took objection to the move of denying additional quantum of pension for those who are 70 plus and extending it only to those who are 80 plus.

Meanwhile, the JAC has constituted an 8-member monitoring cell to supervise the implementation of the agitation programme and see that it does not get derailed at any stage. The monitoring cell will guide all the employees in the districts and up to village secretary level on how to take it forward.