Until the other day, both the governments of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana were strictly saying that the debt ridden RTC can not afford 43% fitment. With the employee unions defying the high court orders, every one are sure that both the state governments will be forced to accept the demands as the ruling parties could not afford to hurt the 1.2 Lakh employees and their families expecting the strike.
AP government was first to accept 43% fitment and asked the employees to resume services soon. Telangana government may have felt bad in coming second, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao announced 44%, a one percent more than the demanded hike. He even mentioned about AP’s hike in his media address and further announced health cards, free bus passes to retired employees and free health insurance only to stay a step ahead of his AP counterpart.
KCR was mentioning the financial implications of 43% fitment in the press meet and did not even have the figures of 44% fitment indicating that it is a last minute decision. This unhealthy competition will only lead to problems for the surplus budget state. After all, even mountains of money will disappear when there is unnecessary spending.
