Thousands of employees working as secretaries in grama/ ward secretariats across Andhra Pradesh were in for a rude shock after Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy issued orders to officials to cut salaries of secretaries who are on strike and not attending duties for the past three days.

Thousands of grama/ ward secretaries working in villages, municipalities and municipal corporations are on strike demanding the YSRCP government to accord them ‘permanent job status’ and extend full time pay scales on par with state government employees since they have already completed two years of probation period.

While appointing grama/ ward secretaries in October 2019, CM Jagan had promised to give them permanent jobs after completion of two years of probation period. The secretaries completed two years probation in October 2021 itself but Jagan failed to fulfill his promise even four months after they completed their probation.

With this, secretaries went on flash strike and boycott duties bringing the administration in grama/ ward secretariats to a grinding halt.

Jagan who announced new PRC scales for state government employees recently with effect from January 2022 promised to implement new PRC scales for grama/ ward secretaries from June 2022. This angered secretaries who strongly protested Jagan’s failure in fulfilling his promise made to them.

Although, officials warned secretaries of removal from jobs if they continue the strike, it failed to stop the strike. Angered at this, Jagan issued orders to cut salaries of secretaries every day until they rejoin duties.

This made secretaries furious who are lashing out at CM for punishing them for his failures.