CM clears 1 DA for govt staff
Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu at a meeting on the employees’ issues in the Secretariat on Saturday
Amaravati: Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu on Saturday night announced a relief for state government employees, declaring the release of one pending Dearness Allowance (DA) that will be credited to employees’ accounts on November 1. The decision, which came just two days before the Diwali festival and was made during a meeting with leaders of various employees’ unions and ministers at his Undavalli residence, will cost the state exchequer Rs 160 crore every month.
Addressing the media after the meeting, the Chief Minister said the government was committed to ensuring that employees, who are key partners in the state’s development, face no hardships. “We are trying to ensure that all employees who are major partners in the development of the state do not face any difficulties,” Naidu said.
He also announced that one installment (Rs 105 crore) of earned leave will be released to police personnel and that the Mediclaim health insurance system will be streamlined within 60 days. Pending promotions for RTC employees would also be cleared soon, he added.
Naidu emphasized the government’s commitment to transparency and fiscal discipline, noting that Andhra Pradesh currently spends Rs 51,452 crore on establishment costs, which account for 91 per cent of the state’s total expenditure. He compared this with neighboring states, pointing out that Telangana had reduced its establishment expenditure by 38 per cent, Tamil Nadu by 42 per cent, and Karnataka by 39 per cent over the last five years. “The current situation in Andhra Pradesh is due to not taking the right decisions in the past five years,” he said.
The Chief Minister stressed that collaboration with employees was essential to take the state to the next level of development. “There is no question of humiliating anyone.
We will work together to build a transparent system,” he assured. Leaders from APNGO Association, AP JAC (Amaravati), AP Government Employees Association, Secretariat Employees’ Association, and Teachers’ Unions participated in discussions with the Chief Minister.