Hyderabad: Employees working on contract in government departments are questioning the government’s aim to cut out middlemen. Recently, many new contract staff have been hired, which has raised concerns. Meanwhile, existing contract workers are worried about delayed salaries and contracts not being renewed. They are puzzled by the government’s decision to end some contracts while starting new ones elsewhere.
On July 19, the government allowed the Irrigation and Command Area Development Department to hire 2,494 contract workers and 61 for housekeeping and security. These hires were made through a third-party service provider and will report to the department’s Engineer-in-chief. According to a Government Order from Sandeep Kumar Sultania, Principal Secretary, these workers will be employed for one year, until regular positions are filled, or until they are no longer needed, whichever comes first.
This decision has surprised many, especially with ongoing issues of delayed salaries and job losses due to contracts not being renewed. Contract workers question the need for agencies, as the government had promised to create a dedicated corporation. Workers claim they lose about Rs 5,000 monthly to agency fees and feel exploited. They hope Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy will address these concerns.
A major protest by contract workers took place at Indira Park in Hyderabad, organized by a committee representing these workers. They demand regular job status, the end of contract employment, fair pay scales, benefits, compensation for deceased workers’ families, and the elimination of agency exploitation. They also call for the formation of a recruitment corporation.
Previously, the state government set up a committee to review staffing in government departments, offering hope to contract workers. The government is reportedly working on proposals for a recruitment corporation to manage these workers. A Cabinet Sub-Committee is examining the issues raised by contract workers, and the government has promised to protect their rights.
