Fulfilling the expectations of the Telangana government employees, awaited for about two years, Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao has given double bonanza to them when he announced in the Assembly on Monday the implementation of the 11th Pay Revision Commission (PRC) with 30% fitment and increasing the retirement age to 61 years from 58 years, as promised before 2018 elections.

The Chief Minister said all the State government employees, teachers, pensioners, contract and outsourced staff, vidya volunteers, KGBV and Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan staff, ASHA and Angawadi workers, SERP employees, homeguards, VRAs, VAOs, daily wagers, work-charged staff and grant-in-aid workers, totalling 9,17,797 would benefit from the pay revision.

The new PRC would be implemented from April 1 next and the arrears for the previous 12 months would be paid along with their retirement benefits. The Chief Minister stated that the decision to give 30% fitment was taken following several rounds of discussions with unions held by a committee led by Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar and his personal meetings with the several employees/teachers unions.

Recollecting and recognising the role and contribution of the employees in the movement for Statehood for Telangana and later its reconstruction, the Chief Minister said: “We (the government) gave them 43% fitment in 10th PRC (in 2014) and also a special Telangana increment. However, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the State’s economy along with the country and elsewhere across the globe had not only tied the government hands to some extent but had also delayed the 11th PRC announcement and implementation”.

He stated that the process of promotions to all eligible employees was completed 80% and the remaining would be completed soon. Similarly, promotions and transfers of teachers too would be taken up soon and for the purpose the government was sanctioning 10,000 new school assistant and headmasters’ posts. Process for filling the vacancies caused by promotions of employees and teachers too would be taken up soon.

Announcing the revamping of employees health scheme (EHS), the Chief Minister said new guidelines would be formed for improvement of the scheme and a steering committee with officials and union leaders would be set up for the purpose.

In a huge announcement for retired employees, the Chief Minister said the age limit for extending the 15% additional quantum of pension would be reduced to 70 years from the existing 75 years. Similarly, the maximum gratuity paid to retired employees would be increased from the present ₹12 lakh to ₹16 lakh. Besides, family pension would be extended to the employees covered under the contributory pension scheme.

He also announced extension of the 180 days paid maternity leave to the women employees working for KGBVs.