The Telangana government has disbursed Rs 713 crore to settle outstanding bills owed to government employees in the state for December. Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, also the Finance Minister, authorized this allocation on Wednesday.
In compliance with the Deputy Chief Minister’s directive, the Finance Department officials have processed bills totaling Rs 713 crore for December. This marks the fifth consecutive month of disbursing funds to clear pending bills.
Previously, the state government pledged to release Rs 700 crore monthly, assuring employee unions of this commitment. Since June, the government has consistently disbursed a minimum of Rs 700 crore each month to address pending bills.
The pending bills encompass various employee benefits such as gratuity, General Provident Fund (GPF), surrender leave encashment, and advances. The State Cabinet had resolved in June to settle arrears of employees as of January 1, 2023, within 28 months, allocating at least Rs 700 crore monthly for this purpose.
Employee unions engaged in discussions with the Cabinet sub-committee led by the Deputy Chief Minister, prompting the decision to address pending employee bill concerns. The Cabinet also approved the establishment of a trust for a government health insurance scheme, with the Chief Secretary heading it and employee union representatives as members.
Under this scheme, employees will contribute Rs 500 monthly, matched by an equivalent state government contribution. The Telangana Employees’ Joint Action Committee (JAC) recently urged the government to fulfill all outstanding commitments to employees, emphasizing the implementation of the health scheme and issuance of employee health cards.
