Harish Rao questions Revanth Reddy govt over delay in retired employees’ benefits

Senior BRS leader T Harish Rao accused the Revanth Reddy government of delaying retirement benefits to thousands of former employees and teachers, causing financial and mental distress. He said massive project bills were cleared quickly while retirees struggled for basic dues

Hyderabad: Voicing grave concern over the plight of retired employees of the State government, senior BRS leader and former Minister T Harish Rao on Saturday said the attitude of the government towards those who had served the State for 30 years and more as ‘inhuman, unethical, and tyrannical’.

Launching a blistering attack on the Congress government led by Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, he said the government was deliberately delaying retirement benefits to thousands of retired government employees and teachers, pushing many into severe financial and mental distress.

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In a strongly worded post on X, Harish Rao shared a video of a retired employee breaking down while narrating his ordeal of waiting months for legitimate retirement dues. “Listening to this retired employee pouring out his pain makes one’s heart melt,” he said, stating people like Revanth Reddy, who work only for commissions and shares do not see the tears of retired employees and teachers.

The government was swiftly clearing bills of major contractors through for alleged commissions, while ignoring retired employees. He highlighted massive infrastructure projects worth lakhs of crores, including the Musi river rejuvenation, Fourth City and so on. The government was refusing to release retirement benefits because there was no commission in it, he said.

Stating that over Rs.10,000 crore in retirement dues were pending for the employees, the highest in the country, he pointed out how retired employees were awaiting gratuity, commutation, leave encashment and other benefits for a long time.

Many retirees were forced to run from pillar to post, including courts, to get their rightful dues. Several retired employees died due to mental stress caused by the delays. The government’s promise of releasing Rs.700 crore every month for clearing arrears had turned out to be mere lip service, with serving employees also suffering due to delayed salaries, he added.