Minutes of the meeting held by the Group of Ministers on Service Associations demands/issues at 3.00 PM on 07.03.2023

 Minutes of the meeting held by the Group of Ministers on Service Associations demands/issues at 3.00 PM on 07.03.2023

Minutes of the meeting held by the Group of Ministers on Service Associations demands/issues at 3.00 PM on 07.03.2023 in the Conference Hall, 1st Floor, 2nd Block, A.P. Secretariat, Velagapudi.

A meeting was held by the Group of Ministers with the Employees Service Associations on 07.03.2023. The attendance of the meeting is annexed to the minutes.

2. At the outset of the meeting, the Principal Secretary to Govt, Finance (HR) welcomed the Hon’ble Ministers, Advisors to the Government, Chief Secretary to the Govt, Officials of the Government, and the Representatives of the Government Employees Service Associations.

3. Statements showing the issues and demands resolved by the Government, and issues and demands which are pending were given to the Representatives of the Service Associations. The Chief Secretary has informed that out of 420 issues/ demands, 95 have been resolved and there are duplication of issues and demands raised by various Orders have been issued by the departments resolving certain issues as indicted in the statement and requested the Associations to bring out the discrepancies if any to the notice of the Government and necessary clarifications would be issued, if required. In respect of unresolved issues, the C.S. has informed that instructions will be issued to all the Departments to take immediate action for resolving the issues. A large number of issues are pending at School Education Department for which the Hon’ble Minister of Education informed that he will review with that Department and resolve the issues amicably.

4.The Principal Secretary to Government (HR), Finance Department has informed that major issues of finance have been resolved and very few issues are pending and they are looking into the same to resolve early. About 140 demands pertain to Finance Department. However, the issues are also involved with other Departments. The administrative Departments are advised to refer the files to the Finance Department and the Finance will go through and give concurrence.

5. The Chief Secretary has asked the representatives of the Associations to speak.

6. Sri B. Srinivasa Rao, President, APNGO’s Association has stated that the Demands are old one and earlier they have submitted 71 demands to the Government and no new demands are being submitted now. He has requested the Government to resolve the following issues & demands

 Clearance of all the GPF bills of employees and release of arrears of DA.

  1. Employees are suffering due to non receipt of amounts of Medical Reimbursement. Earlier, the funds of EHS were kept at Aarogyasri Trust and bills are being paid to the Hospitals. Now, the fund due to contribution of employees is with Finance Department and, therefore, the funds are not released and requested to streamline the EHS Scheme. The hospitals are not giving medical treatment to the employees under EHS.
  2. In the Districts due to non allotment of funds there is a shortage of stationary and become difficult to maintain the
  3. Salaries are not being paid to Laskars in Irrigation Department.
  4. He has requested to cover the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) to the employees who were appointed through the notifications issued before 01.09.2004.
  5. Compassionate appointments to the dependents of deceased succumbed to COVID-19 be given and requested to issue instructions to all the District Collectors. To resolve the issue of dependents of deceased ZP teachers for compassionate appointments.
  6. In Medical & Health Department it is become difficult to the ANMs and lower staff to enter attendance through APFRS app, as they have to go to duty early morning and also to delivered the patients to the homes.
  7. The issue of House Sites to the Associations may be resolved.\
  8. To recognise the APSRTC employees association immediately, as no meeting are being conducted by the Committee authorized to the recommend for the recognition of Service Associations.
  9. Issue orders to the teachers of Gurukulas and also employees of Public Sector Undertakings on enhancement of age of retirement from 60 to 62 years.
  10. To extend junior assistant scale to the Volunteers and also create a channel for their promotions.
  11. Extend the welfare schemes to the Outsourcing persons or increase the income limit so as to cover the outsourcing employees to get the benefits of welfare schemes.
  12. Declaration of probation to the remaining employees of Grama Sachivlayam & Ward Secretariats and allow transfers to them including spouse cases.
  13. Sanction of posts in the District Collector Offices of the newly created Districts.
  14. Release of DA before Ugadi.
  15. To appoint 12th Pay Revision Commission before 01.07.2023.

Sri K.Venkata Rami Reddy, President, Andhra Pradesh Secretariat Association, has conveyed his thanks to the Government for resolving many issues raised by their Association. He has requested the Government to resolve the following issues & demands immediately.

  1. Sanction DA w.e.f. April, 2023.
  2. To clear all the pending bills of employees in a time bound
  3. Abolish the Contributory Pension Scheme and restore Old Pension Scheme.
  4. Sanction EHS bills, as the payments are not made and thereby employees are suffering.
  5. In Jagananna Colony it was proposed to allot 10% of plots at 20% discount price to Government Employees. Lands to the Government employees may be allotted separately.
  6. To cover the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) to the employees who were appointed through the notifications issued before 09.2004.
  7. Allow transfers to employees of Grama Sachivlayam & Ward Secretariats in April, 2023, declare probation to 2nd phase recruited employees and create a channel for their promotions. Requested to implement job chart to grade-5 Panchayat Secretaries, Ward Sanitation Securities and Energy Assistants in village secretariats. Option may be given to Mahila Police to convert them as Village Secretaries.
  8. Training shall be given to the Energy Assistants for climbing the polls, as many are died during the duty.
  9. Issue orders extending retirement age of 62 years to all the employees of Universities and Educational Institutions.
  10. Promotions may be given to eligible VRAs as VROs since about 1800 VROs posts are vacant. Increase ratio from 40:60 to 75:25 to VROs in Senior assistant promotions .Declare probation to all grade-2 VROs on condition to pass survey test in one year. Increase salaries and restore DA to VRAs.
  11. Convert the teachers working outsourcing to contract basis in Tribal welfare Department and extend the new PRC to them.
  12. Restore the DDO powers to AYUSH Doctors by withdrawing powers given to HOD.
  13. Extend the facility of 5 days additional CL to the outsourcing women employees on par with regular women employees. Implement welfare schemes to out sourcing employees.
  14. To direct the Committee for early disposal of about 170 cases booked by ACB and falsely implicated during the period from 2014 to 2019.
  15. Regularise all eligible contract/ NMR/ time scale/ part time Enhance retirement age from 60 to 62 to contact/ NMR/ time scale/ part time employees.
  16. Salary enhancement and MTS implementation to KGBV/ CRP/ IERT and other employees working in Samgra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA).
  17. Promotions to junior lectures as principals and cancellation of O. 223 to give promotion channel to school assistants

Sri Bopparaju Venkateswarlu, Chairman, Andhra Pradesh Joint Action Committee, Amaravathi, has recollected that earlier, meeting of the Group of Ministers was held on 05.02.2022. He has stated that a Memorandum was submitted to the Chief Secretary indicating the demands and issues of the employees and if not resolved immediately, they will go for agitation.

He has requested the Government to resolve the following issues & demands immediately.
  1. Assurance be given that salaries and pensions are paid on 1st of every month. Clear all the payments on pending GPF, Gratuity, L. encashment, GIS, Leave Salary bills and other bills of employees.
  2. Restore Old Pension Scheme to the employees, as various state governments have announced for implementation of OPS. Withdraw about 1600 cases filed against CPS employees.
  3. Release of DA immediately and the DA arrears pending from 07.2018 may be paid immediately. Payment of arrears of PRC immediately and in a time line.
  4. To communicate pay scales of all categories of employees to the HODs.
  5. Regularise the all contract employees. Sanction of increments to out sourcing employees based on service.
  6. Requested for appointment of 12th PRC Commission
  7. Extend date of facility for the Medical Reimbursement Streamline the EHS scheme.
  8. Add further diseases to become eligible for Medical Invalidation Scheme.
  9. Enhance 16% HRA for the employees working in Collector’s Offices of newly formed district headquarters.
  10. Provide Compassionate appointments as Jr. Assts. to the dependents of deceased employees who died due to Covid by creating supernumerary posts, and dispensing with roster system as one time settlement.
  11. To sanction land to the Housing Societies of Employees in districts and resolved the pending issues.
  12. Payment of PT/OT/SLS to Public Transport Employees.
  13. Not to recover Rs.300/- per month from the salaries of Talaries who are low paid employees.
  14. Targets are fixed to GSWS employees. Targets are to be removed.
  15. Request to exempt from FRS attendance system for VRAs who are working on honorarium. Pay Scales to be given to about 3500 VROs who have not passed the tests.
  16. Issue orders extending retirement age of 62 years to all the employees of Universities, Gurukulams and Public Sector Undertakings, duly delinking the court cases.
  17. Request for appointment of 12th PRC Commission immediately.

After due deliberations in the meeting of the Group of Ministers with the Service Associations, the Hon’ble Minister (Finance) has stated that State own revenue is about Rs.1,25,000/- Crores per annum and out of which about Rs.90,000/- crores is being spent for the pensions / salaries of employees and every year, there is an enhancement of expenditure of about Rs.8,000 to 9,000/- crores per annum. In spite of difficulties, the Government is committed towards the welfare of the employees and it is very friendly towards them as they are part of the Government. The Hon’ble Minister, Finance has stated that a report of the committee will be received shortly and a decision will be taken on the issue of regularisation of Contract Employees.

The Hon’ble Minister(Finance) has announced the implementation of the following benefits to the State Government employees to a tune of Rs.3,000/- crores.

The following cash payments will be made by the end of March, 2023:

  • All pending bills related to GPF, Medical Reimbursement, clearance of pending funds of EHS, APGLI, and TA bills, Encasement of E.L. and Gratuity for Pensioners.
  • The following cash payments will be made in the financial year 2023-24 as follows:
  • Pending DA arrears of 01.07.2018 & 01.01.2019 will be paid in instalments in two quarters i.e. by the end of September 2023.
  • Payment of encashment of E.L. to employees in two quarters i.e. by the end of September 2023.

The Chief Secretary before concluding the meeting, has stated that he will convene a meeting with the Service Associations to discuss on all issues related to Employees Health Scheme and also payment of PRC are on 16.03.2023. Instructions will be issued all the Secretaries of the Departments to convene the meetings with the Service Associations on 1st or 2nd Monday of every month to resolve the issue pertaining to respective He will conduct the monthly meetings to review the progress on resolving the issues/ demands of the Service Associations. A decision will be taken on enhancement of retirement age from 60 to 62 years for the employees of Gurukulums and Universities after finalization of pending case before the Hon’ble High Court. The Secretaries will be directed to take immediate action on providing compassionate appointment to the dependents of the deceased employees who died due to Covid-19.

With the giving vote of thanks by the Chief Secretary, the meeting was closed.

Download Minutes of the meeting held by the Group of Ministers Document

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