Congress says 5 Per cent IR is an Insult to Telangana State Goverment Employees

Hyderabad: The Congress on Tuesday lashed out at Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao for announcing a “meager” 5 per cent IR (interim relief) while making the announcement on setting up a pay revision committee for government staff and pensioners.

In a separate media statement, TPCC chief A. Revanth Reddy and CLP leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka said that previous Congress governments had extended higher amounts as interim relief. The 5 per cent IR announcement was an insult to employees, who played a key role in Telangana statehood agitation.

Revanth Reddy said the Y.S. Rajashekar Reddy government had extended 8 per cent IR in 2004 and 22 per cent in 2008 and the Kiran Kumar Reddy government had announced 27 per cent IR in 2013. The Chandrashekar Rao government had not announced IR till Monday, he said.

Revanth Reddy demanded that the CM increase the interim relief to 20 per cent besides implementing new pay scales which are acceptable for all employees.
CLP leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka asked how the BRS government could itself be an 'employee-friendly government' by announcing such a low interim relief.

"What is this gross injustice to employees in Telangana, which is the richest state in the country? Already three dearness allowance (DA) installments to employees are lying pending. We demand the government to clear two DAs immediately besides enhancing IR to 20 per cent immediately," Bhatti said.