Visakhapatnam: Furious over PRC GOs, govt teachers lay siege to collectorates

Visakhapatnam: The GOs issued on implementation of 11th Pay Revision Commission (PRC) and release of DA pending for two years along with salary of January have turned into a bone of contention with the thousands of teachers hitting the streets on Thursday and the non-gazetted government employees' bodies contemplating on going on strike, saying the recent orders instead of benefiting them will reduce their salaries.

At several places, teachers laid siege to the collectorates. Teachers in large numbers led by women marched to collectorates at Kakinada, Anantapur, Machilipatnam, Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam, Rajamahendravaram and other places. In some places, the police took the leaders into custody.

NGO organisations including AP NGOs' Association, NGO Organisation of Amaravati and AP Secretariat Employees' Association have formed a Joint Action Committee to finalise their action plan. In another development, Minister for Municipal Administration and Urban Development Botcha Satyanarayana said the GOs were issued in consultation with the employees' leaders and refuted the claim that it was 'reverse PRC.' He said they are open to talks to resolve the impasse over implementation of PRC.

The employees' organisations have expressed serious objections over calculation of wage revision at 23 per cent fitment and benefits by Chief Secretary Sameer Sharma and demanded implementation of Asutosha Mishra recommendation on PRC in true letter and spirit. The total salaries as per the budget increased from Rs.67,340 crore in 2020-21 from Rs.52,513 crore the previous year. The State's receipts have come down to about Rs 60,000 crore, a fall by Rs 2,000 crore over 2018-19. Payment of IR at 27 per cent for three years had cost the exchequer Rs 17,000 crore.

AP United Teachers' Federation (UTF) leader Chinnabbai told Bizz Buzz that they were very firm on their demand for rollback of GOs and relook at fitment calculation. "In what way can we accept reverse PRC," he asked, adding they never sought an increase in the retirement age to 62. On the other hand, a senior government official said it was wrong to think that Interim Relief would continue after revision of wages. Sameer Sharma while dismissing the employees' allegations, the SOR during 2020-21 was Rs.60,933 crore against projected growth rate of 15 percent fetching an amount of Rs 82,620 crore. He pointed out that there was a shortfall of 21,933 crore. Ther PRC entails an additional burden of Rs 10,247 crore after doing away HRA of Rs.40,000 for the all India service officers.

Former APNGOs' Association president and TDP MLCP. Ashok Babu said the NGOs' leaders should fight unitedly to achieve their demands. TDP, CPI (M), CPI, BJP and Jana Sena have supported the demands of the employees.