It was just around a week ago, the Telangana government issued an order ( GO Ms No. 45 Dated March 22, 2029), enforcing the week-long lockdown till March 31, which was later extended up to April 15.
The GO, in its 14th para, clearly issued directions to the officials, stating that all the government as well as private establishments shall make payments of wages/salaries fully to the workers employees including those working under contract and outsourcing basis during the lockdown period.
“Any violation will be viewed seriously and will invite penal action under The Epidemics Disease Act 1897,” the GO said.
Within a week, the state government led by chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao changed its mind and imposed drastic cuts in the salaries of the employees, knowing fully well that it will cause huge burden on the middleclass employees.
“The employees have to pay house rents and wages to servant maids etc, besides clearing monthly bills for purchase of milk, essentials, and electricity, mobile bills etc. If 50 per cent of the salary is cut, how can they keep all of them pending?” Telangana Congress spokesman G Niranjan asked.
He said KCR’s decision goes against his own orders issued last week. It gives scope to the employers of private sector undertakings, factories, establishments and other organisations to evade from making payments to its employees during this period on the pretext of curtailed payments by Government itself.
It is to be noted that not only the State Government is facing decline in the revenue but all the private establishments also facing the same problem as their functioning is totally shutdown without any business and inflow of money. Banks should come to their rescue to ensure the payments to their employees, Niranjan said.