Telangana employees keep fingers crossed over long-delayed PRC

Telangana government employees are awaiting the long-delayed Pay Revision Committee announcement amid protests over pending issues. With six DAs pending, employee unions are seeking higher fitment, while concerns remain that merging the DAs with the PRC could reduce the actual fitment.

Hyderabad: Amid ongoing protests over the Pay Revision Committee (PRC) and other pending issues, government employees are keeping their fingers crossed over the State government’s proposed PRC announcement. Their lack of optimism stems largely from the repeated delays in the process.

In 2015, the then BRS (TRS) government announced a record 43 per cent fitment for government employees after the formation of Telangana. The PRC had recommended only 7.5 per cent, but the government increased the fitment to 43 per cent.

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“I still remember when we approached the then Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao with an appeal to offer 42 per cent fitment, citing the 42 days of Sakala Janula Samme. He acknowledged it and offered 43 per cent,” recalled a member of the TGEJAC.

This was followed by another PRC fitment of 30 per cent in March 2021. With these revisions, Telangana government employees were drawing salaries almost on par with their Central government counterparts.

The PRC has been due since July 1, 2023. Accordingly, the government appointed a committee headed by retired IAS officer N Shiva Shankar on October 2, 2023. It also announced interim relief for employees.

However, after the Congress government came to power in December 2023, the PRC announcement has been delayed. Though Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy assured employees that the PRC report would be obtained and its recommendations implemented, the report is yet to be delivered.

The government had granted five per cent interim relief, but the PRC process has been postponed nearly six times. Besides, six DAs are pending. If these six DAs are merged into the PRC, the actual fitment could be marginal, a TGO member said.

“Prices of essential commodities are hitting through the roof. TNGOs have demanded 51 per cent PRC fitment, while TGOs want 42 per cent. Anything less than this would not serve the purpose,” the TGO member said.