S. Sulochana, a sanitary worker who was appointed on compassionate grounds as a Class-IV worker (sweeper) in Gooty municipality of Anantapur district had her salary bills amounting to ₹28,81,020 processed and paid by the Panchayat Raj & Rural Development (PR&RD) and Municipal Administration Departments as per the orders of the Andhra Pradesh (A.P.) Lokayukta Justice P. Lakshmana Reddy.
A press release from the Institution of Lokayukta of A.P. on Monday stated that the case involved the appointment of Sulochana as a public health worker on compassionate grounds following the death of her husband on March 29, 2012. Her appointment was made by the then Municipal Commissioner of Gooty and she joined her duties on April 4, 2012. However, due to the non-transfer of Class-IV employee cadre to Gooty municipality, her salary payments were withheld.
Shifted to Yadiki
After a careful examination, the High Court directed the services of Sulochana to be transferred to Yadiki gram panchayat by the District Panchayat Officer of Anantapur. But as her salary dues remained unresolved, the matter was escalated to the Principal Secretary, PR&RD Department, who submitted a report on September 26, 2022, conveying the government’s permission for the appointment (of Sulochana) as a sweeper in Yadiki with retrospective effect from April 4, 2012.
This decision was taken to facilitate the payment of salary amounting to ₹28,81,020 pending for the period April 4, 2012 to October 31, 2022. Consequently, the appointment orders were issued to Sulochana and the Yadiki Mandal Parishad Development Officer (MPDO) was entrusted with claiming her salary from the above date (April 4, 2012).
The MPDO prepared the bills for payment of the salary and presented the same to the treasury in Gooty through CFMS. The bills were successfully processed and are expected to be adjusted within the next two to three days. Her salary is being regularly paid by the authorities.
Additionally, the retirement benefits of Sulochana’s deceased husband, including earned leave encashment and GIS arrears, were duly paid. However, she is not entitled to family pension benefits as he falls under the CPS scheme. As the matter has been resolved, the Lokayukta deemed it unnecessary to proceed with further investigation of the complaint and therefore advanced it from August 11, 2023 to the present day for closure.
