Andhra Pradesh: 3 lakh employees benefited due to YSRCP Govt initiatives, says Finance Minister Buggana

AMARAVATI: In a significant leap towards employment stability and workers' rights, Andhra Pradesh witnessed a significant stride as the State Government passed a pivotal Bill regulating the services of contract employees on the fifth day of the monsoon session on Wednesday.

Finance Minister Buggana Rajendranath Reddy, while moving the Andhra Pradesh Regularisation of Services of Contract Employees Bill said, “The Bill is a testament to the State Government's commitment to formalising and regularising the services of all contract employees who commenced their roles on or before June 2, 2014, meticulously following stipulated norms and guidelines in a most transparent manner.”

Highlighting Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy's proactive steps for the betterment of contract employees, the Finance Minister remarked, "Even though the expert committee constituted by the Government in their recommendations suggested implementing a 10-15 year time period for the regularisation of the contract workers' services, the Chief Minister decided to waive off the time period and ensured that the services of all the contract workers are regularised to maximise the benefits to contract workers in the State."

Buggana said that around 3 lakh employees were benefited from the pro-employee welfare initiatives implemented by the YSRCP Government in the last four years, which included the merging of AP Road Transport Corporation (RTC) into the State Government which benefited nearly 53,000 APSRTC employees and the recruitment of nearly 1.35 lakh employees in ward and village secretariats and 53,126 employees in the health sector, 6,500 posts including 411 SI and RSI posts and 6,100 police constables in the police department.

The Finance Minister also said that the State Government after carefully reviewing the previous salaries of workers of Asha, Anganwadi and sanitation wings and those who were getting a meagre pay, were given a maximum salary hike to ensure that the increased salaries would be sufficient for the employees to run their households without any difficulties.

The State government also passed the Guaranteed Pension Scheme (GPS) Bill in the Assembly. While passing the Bill, Buggana said, "The implementation of GPS will bring about an additional financial commitment of Rs 2,500 crore. However, this decision has been carefully deliberated upon, considering the existing pension schemes and aiming to enhance employee welfare." He also mentioned that this decision from the Government was taken without any hesitation as compared to the previous Government.