GHMC says pay hike is not for contract staff

Hyderabad: While Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao had announced 30 per cent salary hike for all contract and outsourced employees of the government and its associated bodies, the GHMC has not implemented it so far.

The CM’s announcement in the Assembly on March 22 benefited 9.17 lakh employees, following the recommendations made by the 11th Pay Revision Commission. Chandrasekhar Rao said salaries will be revised not only for government employees and teachers, but also for contract employees, outsourced staff, home guards, anganwadi and Asha workers, SERP employees, Vidya volunteers, KGBV, Sarva Siksha Abhiyaan employees, VRAs, VAOs, grants in aid, work charged, daily wagers and other employees working as part of government machinery.

Following this, the finance department released two government orders, GOs 60 and 63 dated June 11 pertaining to the salary hike and marked them to all nodal agencies including GHMC. "Government, after reviewing the present monthly remuneration prescribed for contract and outsourced services; hereby orders enhancement of monthly remuneration by 30 per cent, i.e., to Rs 15,600, Rs 19,500 and Rs 22,750, for all types of services engaged on contract or outsourcing basis from the month of June 2021 payable in July 2021." the GO stated.

However, GHMC authorities implemented the GO only for permanent employees while, ignoring the frontline soldiers including sanitation workers, entomology and other staff; who have been risking their lives during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

When asked about the implementation of PRC, GHMC commissioner D.S. Lokesh Kumar said, “PRC is not applicable here. The corporation is governed by a separate GO.”

Reacting to this, CITU state secretary Paladugu Bhaskar said the civic body commissioner has been finding excuses not to implement the PRC. The CITU leader pointed out that the finance department had marked GOs 60 and 63 to all municipal corporations and municipalities, including GHMC. "Why does the GHMC commissioner need a separate G.O. to implement PRC? If a separate G.O. is needed, what is GHMC commissioner not doing anything about it,” Bhaskar asked.

BJP Mazdoor Morcha chairman U. Gopal said the government has been ignoring equal pay for equal work by implementing the PRC recommendations only for permanent staff but not contract and outsourced employees. "The 30 per cent hike will provide some relief to workers, since house rents, school fees, fuel, vegetable and commodity prices have already skyrocketed," Gopal said.