In a firm commitment to state employees, the Telangana government has outlined a concrete plan to address long-pending financial dues and rectify systemic delays inherited from the previous administration. Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka, addressing the legislative council on Friday, detailed the steps being taken to stabilize the financial system and prioritize employee welfare.
A New Era of Timely Salaries and Cleared Dues
Bhatti Vikramarka highlighted a stark contrast between the current and former government's approach to employee salaries. He pointed out that under the previous regime, salaries were often delayed, sometimes being credited as late as the 18th of the month, which caused severe financial strain for employees. The incumbent government, after discussions with employee unions, made a pivotal policy decision to pay salaries on the first of every month without fail, regardless of financial challenges. This promise has been consistently upheld since they assumed office.
The Deputy CM also addressed the contentious issue of the retirement age. He alleged that the previous government increased the retirement age by three years primarily to defer financial liabilities like gratuity and provident fund payments. Had the age not been raised, 26,854 employees would have retired between 2021 and 2023. However, due to the extension, only 6,354 employees retired during that period, a move he criticized as a tactic to postpone legitimate benefits.
Tackling the Mountain of Pending Bills
The financial legacy left behind, as per the government's Financial White Paper, was daunting. By December 2023, pending bills across various departments totaled a staggering Rs 43,154 crore. Out of this, dues specifically related to employees amounted to Rs 4,575 crore. The new government, upon taking charge, immediately began addressing these arrears.
Significant progress has already been made, with Rs 1,752 crore disbursed towards pending pension benefits. Currently, the total pending bills related to employees stand at Rs 6,244 crore. The government has committed to clearing these on a priority basis, releasing at least Rs 700 crore every month exclusively for settling employee dues.
Clearing Medical and Supplementary Bills
Bhatti Vikramarka termed the practice of holding back medical reimbursements as "inhuman." In a relief to employees, the government has cleared over Rs 200 crore worth of pending medical bills so far and has instituted a system to ensure future medical bills are settled monthly without delay.
Furthermore, a major burden has been lifted with the complete clearance of Rs 560 crore in pending supplementary salary bills. The government has assured that such supplementary dues will be settled regularly moving forward, preventing future accumulation.
The Deputy CM concluded by emphasizing that the delay in salary payments had previously trapped many employees in a cycle of debt due to missed loan and bill payments. The current administration's firm policy on timely salary disbursement is a core part of its strategy to restore financial dignity to the state's workforce.
