The Andhra Pradesh Joint Action Committee (Amaravati), the rival faction of the APNGOs Association, conducted its first meeting after registration on Thursday, and promised to work for the welfare of employees, teachers, and workers, and retired employees’ associations in the State.
Speaking to the media, association chairman B. Venkateswarlu said that unlike the Ashok Babu-led association, the new outfit would give equal importance to all associations in the JAC.
“Those who are office-bearers of the APNGOs Association are made officer-bearers of JAC committees, right from State, district and taluk levels, which is against the principles of democracy,” he said.
Mr. Ashok, in a recent media statement, admitted his failure to represent the woes of the employees properly to the State government, Mr. Venkateswarlu said.
He said the aim of the association was to fight for scrapping of the existing contributory pension scheme, which was affecting lakhs of employees.
“The government is investing the money collected under the CPS in the stock market, which is dangerous, considering its volatile nature. In many cases, retired and next of kin of deceased employees have not been paid pension,” he said.
The association would fight against the anomalies in salary structure of contract labourers, he said.
“Both attenders and car drivers are facing hardship as the government is resorting to outsourcing. We will take up their cause. We will also strive to get the biometric system for drivers scrapped. We are also in favour of enhancing the retirement age of attenders to 62,” he said, and promised to strive to get health cards and ensure a housing plot for every employee.
“Nearly 200 acres of land is earmarked at Gachibowli in Telangana. The government should give Andhra Pradesh employees their rightful share in it,” he demanded.
