The Andhra Pradesh government on Thursday decided to pay full salaries to government employees for the month of May. The decision was taken by Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy at a review meeting.
He directed the finance department to pay full salary for May to the government employees.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the government had deferred payment of a certain percentage of the amount for March and April salaries, said a statement from the Chief Minister's office.
Meanwhile, Secretariat Employees' Association president Venkatrami Reddy welcomed the decision of the Chief Minister. He said payment of 50 per cent salaries for March and April was deferred due to the financial crisis caused by the lockdown.
The government had asked all employees to attend their offices from Thursday. Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) buses were arranged for the convenience of employees travelling to the secretariat from Vijayawada.
As several employees are stranded in Hyderabad due to the lockdown, the association demanded the government to arrange special buses to bring them to Amaravati.
Earlier in April, the state government had announced that the payment of full salaries to the CM, officers and employees would be deferred as the government’s revenue streams had dried up during the lockdown. Employees had around 10 to 100 percent of their pay deferred, depending on their category.
The CM, Ministers, MLCs, MLAs, as well as elected representatives of all local bodies, had 100 percent of their pay deferred, while All India Services officers saw a 60 percent deferment. Other employees had 50 percent pay deferred, while Class-IV employees, outsourced and contractual staff, ward and secretariat staff were told that they would have a 10 percent deferment in pay. These deferments were also applicable to pensions and honorariums.
However, for the month of April, pensioners were told that they would receive their pension in full. However, many of the remaining deferments continued from March into April for many employees.
IANS inputs