The government employees and pensioners in Telangana are yet to get their salaries and pensions this month so far. This has been the situation in Telangana for the last six months. Every month, the salaries of the government employees are credited only around 12th.

There are as many as 9,27,522 employees, including pensioners, CPS employees, contractual and outsourcing employees in Telangana. The salaries and emoluments to these employees need at least Rs 2500 crore every month. This includes the pensions too. With limited revenues due to Covid situation, the state government is finding it difficult to make both the ends meet. The government is according top priority to payment of doles under schemes like Rythu Bandhu, Aasara, KCT Kits, Arogya Lakshmi, Rs 1 a kg rice, Shadi Mubarak, Kalyana Lakshmi and others. Due to this, the salaries are not being paid on time.

The Telangana government is adopting a totation scheme to pay the salaries. For instance, the salaries for the month of June were paid on July 2 for districts like Khammam and Kothagudem. Sources say that pensions in 20 districts were paid on August 7, while the payments of 13 districts are still pending. The salaries are still to be paid for Adilabad, Peddapalli, Jagityal, Sangareddy, Medak, Siddipet, Sircilla, Hanamkonda, Janagama, Khammam, Kothagudem, Nalgonda and Yadadri Bhuvanagiri.

Sources said that the salary bills are being cleared only after the finance department issues clearance. The Drawing and Disbursement Officials are given a token number after they submit the salary details. The details are then sent to the E-Kuber Portal of the Reserve Bank of India. Then the bills reach the chief secretary (finance). Only after he issues a clearance, the salaries are paid.