It’s a new month and a new beginning. But the same old troubles seem to greet AP Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. Payment of the salary for the government employees and the pensioners has become the biggest source of worry for the YSRCP government in Andhra Pradesh. The government is moving heaven and earth to mop up revenues to pay the pensions on time.
Last month, the salaries were paid in different phases from 7th date of the month and the process could be completed only in the third week of the month. This month too, the situation could be similar, say those who understand the state’s revenue mechanism.
But there is one more big problem for the Jagan Government. During the Praja Sankalpa Yatra ahead of the 2019 elections, YS Jagan has promised the pensioners and the government employees to cancel the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) and bring back the Old Pension Scheme. But, though it has been two years since he came to power, the promise has not been fulfilled. The employees and the pensioners are now on a warpath.
They are preparing to organised “betrayal” meetings in various parts of the state. The government employees are said to be financing these meetings. The CPS has come into effect in 2004 and over 1.94 lakh employees come under this scheme. But the Jagan government, which claims it is an employee friendly government, has not taken any action so far on the issue. Jagan sure does not want to court the displeasure of the government employees, who are very crucial in governance and in the conduct of the employees.
Jagan is now in a fix. He cannot afford to anger the government employees. At the same time, he cannot antagonise the Central Government which is fully backing the CPS. Also, he has no idea on how to mop up revenues to pay the salaries and pensions.
Antha vuttide