Hyderabad: In a major relief to state government employees and pensioners, the Telangana government on Saturday released Rs 700 crore towards clearing pending bills. Of this, Rs 392 crore was allocated to settle supplementary salary arrears that had been pending for nearly 20 months. The Finance Department credited the funds directly into the salary accounts of employees, bringing cheer across various departments. Officials said the move reflects the government’s commitment to employee welfare despite financial constraints.
According to official sources, government offices regularly submit salary and allowance bills to the Finance Department, while supplementary bills are resubmitted for any pending claims. Over the past two years, supplementary salary bills worth Rs 1,900 crore have remained uncleared. In June, the Cabinet announced that Rs 700 crore would be released every month in phases to settle such arrears. The latest release covers supplementary salary dues, General Provident Fund (GPF) withdrawals, and medical reimbursement claims.
Employee unions welcomed the decision, noting that delays in clearing medical reimbursement bills had caused severe hardships for staff. Joint Action Committee (JAC) chairman Maram Jagadishwar and general secretary Eluri Srinivas Rao expressed satisfaction that the government kept its promise but urged authorities to expedite other demands, including a new Pay Revision Commission (PRC) and enhancement of Dearness Allowance (DA). The government has assured that all pending dues, estimated at Rs 10,000 crore, will be cleared once the state’s financial position improves.