Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao is trying to push his Andhra Pradesh counterpart N Chandrababu Naidu into an embarrassing situation by announcing hefty pay hike for the striking RTC employees of Telangana.
Home Minister Nayani Narsimha Reddy Chairman of the Cabinet Sub-Committee comprising four other ministers on Tuesday submitted a report to the Chief Minister suggesting an increase in fitment to 37 from the existing 27 per cent against the 43 per cent demand.
The Chief Minister has reportedly agreed to offer about 39 to 40 per cent of fitment, which is two per cent more than what the sub-committee reccommented. A statement is likely by night, it is learnt.
The committee asked the employees’ unions to be available for a possible meeting with KCR, it is learnt. The report is said to have details pertaining to burden on exchequer in case of hiking the fitment either at 37 per cent or at 39 to 40 per cent respectively.
This is definitely going to put pressure on Naidu, who expressed his inability to increase the salary of RTC staff in AP.
Naidu reportedly told his Cabinet colleagues that the government was already bearing the brunt of State government employees’ pay hike by 43 per cent and it cannot bear any additional salary burden now.
But if Naidu does not agree for what KCR would be offering, the RTC unions are likely to intensify their stir.
