Probation, pay scales announced for AP village/ward staff

VIJAYAWADA: Andhra Pradesh government has put on probation village / ward secretariat functionaries who have completed two years of service. It has also announced pay scales for them with effect from July 1.

State government issued GO Ms. No. 5 on Saturday declaring probation in relaxation of Rule 18 (a) of AP State Subordinate Service Rules, 1996. As per the order, pay scales will be applicable for village / ward functionaries from July 1 onwards.

As part of implementing the “Navaratnalu” concept for revamping delivery of government services and improving living standards of the people, state government established a system of village / ward secretariats in gram panchayats and municipal wards.

The government sanctioned 1.35 lakh posts of various functionaries and recruited 1.21 lakh people in two phases during 2019–2020 and 2020–2021 to work in village / ward secretariats on consolidated pay of ₹15,000 per month. Those functionaries who have completed minimum two years of service, have passed prescribed departmental tests, and have clear antecedents, have been put on probation from June 30, 2022, as a special case. Moreover, the state government has made fixed pay scales applicable for village / ward functionaries whose probation has been declared.

Accordingly, functionaries belonging to 19 categories of village / ward secretariats will get pay scales in the range of ₹23,120–₹74,770 per month (panchayat secretary Grade-V) and ₹22,460–₹72,810 per month (gram / ward Mahila Samrakshana Karyadarshi (Grade-III).

Andhra Pradesh Government Employees’ Federation chairman K. Venkatarami Reddy has thanked Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy for issuing instructions declaring probation for ward / village functionaries and implementing pay scales as per the new PRC recommendations.