Telangana govt rewards GHMC sanitary workers’ service

Hike salaries of all GHMC sanitary workers by Rs 3,000 for their selfless service during lockdown

Hyderabad: This Deepavali, the lives of these people, who keep the city clean night and day, just got brighter. The State government, in recognition of the selfless services extended by sanitary workers of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) during the Covid-19 pandemic and the lockdown, when they took risks to roam the streets and keep them clean, hiked their salaries by Rs 3,000. With the revised pay coming into effect from November 1, the workers will get Rs 17,500 per month.

This move from the State government has benefited 18,550 sanitary workers in the GHMC, for whom the hike came as quite a surprise.

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“Even before we asked for a salary increment, the State government gave us one. I thank the State government for this decision,” says E Manjula, a sanitary worker in Hyderguda.

Since the formation of Telangana, salaries of sanitary workers have been more than doubled. In fact, there has been an increase in salaries for them every three years. Before the formation of Telangana, their monthly salary was Rs 8,500. This was hiked to Rs 12,500 in 2014 while in 2017, it was made Rs 14,500 and now, has been hiked to Rs 17,500.

“When I started this job, I used to earn Rs 1,500-Rs 1,700 a month. Even during the lockdown, I worked. I am grateful to the State government for hiking our salaries,” says M Upendra, who has been keeping the city roads clean for the last 15 years.

Another beneficiary of the government’s decision, K Sujatha, says she never expected a rise, especially during these times of a financial slowdown.

“I am happy with the government’s decision, but given the increase in prices of essential goods, we wish the government could give us an additional Rs 2,000,” says Sujatha, who has been working in the city for the last nine years.

Sanitary Field Assistant B Raju said the government’s decision to hike salaries took everyone by surprise.

“We are elated with the hike. Apart from the hike, we were given kits which included gloves, masks, soaps, coconut oil and dress etc., for this Covid-19 pandemic,” says Raju, who has been on the field for 15 years now.

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