Ahead of split, Andhra Pradesh secretariat to observe zero week

Hyderabad: For the first time ever, the state administration will come to a standstill for a one week from Sunday till June 1 as the staff will observe “zero week” in the run-up to bifurcation on June 2. The entire machinery will be engaged in running the “trail run administration” of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

This is to gear up the bureaucracy to work in both the new states from June 2. Employees who were allotted on provisional basis have to report to their respective state offices.

Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan had directed the administration to halt all transactions from May 25 to June 1 at the Secretariat. Accordingly, there will be no clearance of files or payment of bills.

Employees and officials allotted to Telangana have to work from A,B,C and D blocks and those allotted to Andhra Pradesh from H,J,K,L blocks.

Meanwhile, it was a “double bonanza” for about 14 lakh state employees and pensioners as they received salaries and pensions of two months, ahead of bifurcation. They were paid for April on May 2 and for May on Saturday. The amount disbursed for May was calculated till June 1. From June 2, all staff and pensioners will be paid from their respective governments.