Wage Revision: Andhra Pradesh Governor Vishwabhushan Harichandan on Wednesday said the recent wage revision offer to employees was the “best possible” as the government had to balance the welfare of the poor and various sections of the people.
His statement comes in the backdrop of calls for an indefinite strike by the state employees, teachers and pensioners to implement the new pay scale.
Today, after unfurling the national flag on Republic Day, the governor urged the agitating employees and said “don’t let anything come between the government and its employees.”
He further said that despite the economic crisis induced by COVID, the state government is implementing the 11th Pay Revision Commission, which is going to put additional financial burden on the government. 10,247 crore on the exchequer of the government.
The Governor said, “Despite the revenue deficit due to the bifurcation of the State and depletion of the State’s own resources due to the COVID pandemic, the Government has made the best possible PRC in the present circumstances with its dedicated commitment to the welfare of the employees.”
Moreover, Andhra was the only government in the entire country to raise the retirement age of its employees to 62 years, he said.
For the past few days, lakhs of state employees have been demanding the government to immediately withdraw the pay revision orders issued on January 17, as they were ‘injurious’ to their interests and resulted in unprecedented cut in wages.
The joint committee of employees, teachers and pensioners has issued a notice to start an indefinite strike from February 7.
With inputs from PTI
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