PNS|Hyderabad
Minister Errabelli Dayakar Rao asked sanitation workers to call off their strike. He said that KCR is a ‘maharaja’ who will take decisions at the right time and that the wages of the workers are better than anywhere else in the country.
He also advised them not to spoil their image. In a statement issued on Tuesday, he said that the state’s sanitation workers are better paid than anywhere else in the country.
He said that after the formation of Telangana, the wages of sanitation workers who did not get Rs 500 or even Rs 1,000 during the times of previous governments were increased by Rs 8,500. He said that KCR is credited with raising their salaries by Rs 1,000 during the TS formation decennial celebrations. He said that in states ruled by the BJP and the Congress, sanitation workers are considered a disgrace.
In UP they are paid Rs 5200 and in AP they are paid Rs 6000. In Chhattisgarh, they are paid by panchayats. In West Bengal, they are recognised as paid workers and are given only Rs 500.
He said that in Kerala they are collecting Rs 30 from every house in the name of sanitation workers, but a worker working in each ward does not get more than Rs 4,000 or Rs 5,000.
He said that sanitation workers should not fall into the trap of selfish politicians and also requested them not to conduct sit-ins and protests.
He said that some qualified workers wanted to be recognised as Assistant Panchayat Secretaries and that the government is considering the other demands of the workers.
