Government employees seek DA as Dasara gift

The government officers appealed to the State government to sanction Dearness Allowance (DA) as a Dasara gift, keeping in view the festival which will be celebrated on October 2.

Andhra Pradesh Non Gazetted and Gazetted Officers Association (APNGGOA) President A. Vidya Sagar, who is also the Chairman of Joint Action Council (JAC), participated in a meeting of employees along with the General Secretary D.V. Ramana here on Sunday, and spoke to the media later.

Mr. Sagar explained how the employees were offering constructive support to the State in taking the development programmes and welfare schemes to the public. “The DA, which should have been announced and offered once in six months, has turned out to be a distant dream,” he said, pointing out that four instalments of DA remained pending.

Seeking formation of a Pay Revision Commission (PRC) and appointment of a Commissioner, he requested the government to accord top priority to settling the pending problems of the employees, adding that 25 months had passed so far. “While the government is reaching out to every section of society, we want it to focus its attention on the employees, teachers, workers and pensioners too,” he appealed.

The employees have pinned a lot of hope on the present government, Mr. Sagar said, recalling that their voice had remained muzzled under the erstwhile YSRCP regime. An ad hoc committee was formed for the combined Chittoor district unit and S. Suresh Babu was named its Chairman and C. Raghu the co-convener.