Article Today, Hyderabad:
Thousands of outsource employees working across Telangana government departments continue to face prolonged delays in salary payments. Despite rendering essential services, many workers report that their wages have remained unpaid for several months. As a result, families are struggling to meet basic expenses such as house rent, school fees, and medical costs. The persistent delay has intensified concerns over administrative efficiency and fiscal discipline.
Backlogs Across Departments
The scale of pending payments varies across departments but remains widespread. Staff engaged in the prestigious Bhu Bharati project have reportedly not received salaries for nearly 16 months. Meanwhile, employees under the Mission Bhagiratha scheme have not been paid even once during the current financial year. In the Revenue Department, election operators have been without wages for six months. Similarly, workers in the irrigation department face three months of arrears, while those in the BC Welfare Department and the land acquisition wing report delays of seven and nine months respectively. In addition, delays of three to five months have become routine in several other departments.
Agency Deductions Under Scrutiny
Apart from delayed salaries, workers allege that private agencies deduct significant portions of their already modest wages as commission. According to representatives of the Outsourcing Employees Joint Action Committee, agencies are reportedly collecting up to Rs. 5,000 per month from individual workers. Union leaders Puli Laxmaiah and Muniganti Jagadish have questioned the government’s earlier assurance of replacing agencies with a dedicated corporation to manage outsourced staffing.
Families Under Severe Stress
The prolonged uncertainty has taken a heavy toll on workers’ families. Union leaders have warned that mounting debts and social pressure could push some employees toward extreme decisions. While neighbouring Andhra Pradesh has already constituted a corporation to regularise payments and streamline the system, Telangana is yet to take a similar policy decision. Therefore, employees have urged Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy to intervene urgently and ensure timely payment of salaries to protect the livelihoods of lakhs of outsourced workers.
