Employees of the Andhra Pradesh government are up in arms against Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu for bringing pressure on them to shift to the new capital of Amaravati by June next.
While the employees have generally no objection to shifting, since it is difficult for them to work in Hyderabad and report to the government in Vijaywada where temporary Secretariat is being set up, they are very much worried about the future of their children studying in Hyderabad.
Obviously, they cannot maintain two houses – one in Hyderabad and other in Vijayawada.
“Unless the government provides some alternative source of living in either Hyderabad or Vijayawada, we cannot shift lock, stock and barrel,” an employee said.
The Naidu cabinet, which met in Vijayawada on Monday, is learnt to have discussed their practical problems.
Minister for Finance Yanamala Ramakrishnudu said it would be better if the whole process of shifting of all the HODs from Hyderabad to Vijayawada is completed latest by June next year.
"We have already begun the exercise of identifying the buildings that are already existing to set up the offices first," he said and clarified that new buildings will be constructed only in the capital city of Amaravati.
The Cabinet is learnt to have decided to provide additional house rent allowance to the employees for shifting to Vijayawada.
"We have to somehow compensate it and the employees too should be ready for certain sacrifices," he said and observed that all the employees may not be able to move to Vijayawada immediately as their children are in the middle of the academic year of their studies.
