Rajamahendravaram: Ina major relief to outsourcing workers in the Municipal Engineering Department, the State government has approved a hike in their monthly salaries. This long-awaited move comes after years of protests and representations by the workers.

Under the revised structure, Category-1 workers will receive Rs 24,500 (up from Rs 21,500), Category-2 workers will earn Rs 21,500 (up from Rs 18,500), and Category-3 workers will get Rs 18,500 (up from Rs 15,000). The government has directed that the additional financial burden be borne by the respective municipal corporations, municipalities, and Nagar panchayats from their own funds.

This salary revision will benefit over 730 outsourcing workers employed in urban local bodies across the erstwhile East Godavari district, including Kakinada Municipal Corporation, Pithapuram, Peddapuram, Tuni, and Samalkot municipalities; Gollaprolu and Yeleswaram Nagar panchayats in Kakinada district; Rajamahendravaram Corporation, Kovvur and Nidadavole municipalities in East Godavari district; and Amalapuram, Ramachandrapuram, Mandapeta municipalities and Mummidivaram Nagar panchayat in Dr BR Ambedkar Konaseema district.

These outsourcing employees work in crucial departments such as engineering, waterworks, street lighting, and IT. Their role is considered vital for uninterrupted water supply and street lighting services across urban areas.

Union representatives said that while sanitation workers had received pay hikes in the past, engineering department staff had been neglected for years. The new coalition government has now approved a pay hike through a special GO, acting on recommendations made by a cabinet sub-committee constituted to examine demands placed before APCOS (Andhra Pradesh Corporation for Outsourced Services). Municipal Engineering Workers’ State Advisor Pedapati Gurunath (Kovvur) expressed happiness over the government’s move. “No government has addressed our concerns for over 20 years. This is the first time our wages have been revised officially,” he said. Workers celebrated the announcement by distributing sweets.

The pay revision also fulfils a key promise made by alliance party leaders during the 2024 election campaign. However, workers had to take to the streets in protest after seeing no response post-election, which finally prompted government action.