More than Rs 1 lakh a month. That is what some 'senior sweepers' earn in the Telangana government. Not abroad. Not in the private sector. This was recently revealed by Telangana Chief Secretary K Ramakrishna Rao.
He shared the details at a discussion on the 16th Finance Commission proposals. The event was organised by The Centre for Economics and Social Studies.
According to him, over the past 10 years, the state's spending on salaries and pensions has increased fourfold to Rs 6,000 crore. In 2014, the expenditure was Rs 1,500 crore. Since then, salary structures have been reviewed regularly. Funds were increased as needed. As a result, spending in this sector has gone up by 300 percent.
Who earns how much?
In Telangana, Chief Engineers in the electricity department earn around Rs 7 lakh per month. Senior grade four sanitation workers earn over Rs 1 lakh.
Also Read | EPFO hiring retired officers: Who can apply, tenure and key roles explained
Entry-level municipal employees get Rs 28,000 per month. Drivers and sanitation workers with 30 years of service can cross Rs 1 lakh monthly. Two percent of sanitation workers under the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation have been made permanent. Their monthly salary is now Rs 70,000, along with other benefits.
The salaries of the electricity department staff are reviewed every four years. That is why their pay is relatively higher, said the Chief Secretary.
Higher than IAS, Governor?
In several cases, government employees in the state earn more than IAS officers and even the Governor, sources said.
Also Read | IIM Lucknow domestic offer hits Rs. 1 crore, beats overseas package
The Pay Revision Commission appointed by the Telangana government regularly reviews salaries. Over time, basic pay and DA increase. With higher salaries, competition for government jobs has also grown.
Rao said Telangana has seen steady economic progress. In the first 10 years after the state was formed, around Rs 15 lakh crore was spent. Of this, Rs 12 lakh crore went towards salaries, pensions, and debt servicing. Only Rs 3 lakh crore was capital expenditure. Just Rs 15,000 crore came from asset sales.
The figures have now sparked fresh debate on government spending priorities.
