Salary of majority AP staff to be cleared by first week, says SCS Rawat

Vijayawada: Some 90-95 per cent of the salary and pension bills will be passed by the treasury by the last working day of the month and these are released before the 5th of the next month, depending on the RBI/Bank holidays and the ways and means position of the state.

Special chief secretary to the finance department, SS Rawat stated this on Sunday, adding that the government created a separate entity, APCOS, to take care of the interests of the outsourced employees. Top priority would be given to the release of salaries of outsourced employees, he said.

The finance department released a document with all details about the employees welfare and wages issues.

Rawat explained that in the years since its formation in 2014, state finances have borne the brunt of the unscientific bifurcation, followed by the Covid-19 pandemic. “Despite the tough challenges, the government has taken a series of steps to ensure that salaries and pensions are paid on time. On an average 90-95 per cent of the salary and pensions would be passed by the treasury by the last working day of the month and this is released before 5th of the next month.”

Instructions were issued to all the DDOs to start processing the salary and pension bills from the 16th itself and complete the work by the 24th of the month. The treasury would complete the audit by month-end so that salaries and pensions for the majority can be paid on the first working day of every month, he said.

The government, in the note, has explained that the government took special efforts to make timely payment to several scheme-based employees like Asha workers, Anganwadi staff, Mid-Day meal cook- cum-helpers, home guards, VOAs, RPs, tribal community workers, professionals, contract employees etc, and ensure everyone gets paid before the 21st of the month.

In the past, the salaries for some such employees used to get delayed for months.

The Jagan-led government created a separated organisation, APCOS, to take care of the interest of outsourced employees and top priority was given for releasing the salaries of outsourced employees.

The government has already sanctioned 27 per cent Interim Relief (IR), under which the government has paid Rs 11,984 crore for the employees and Rs 5,933 crore for pensioners -- a total of Rs 17,918 crore.