AP employees who withdrew stir to get salary

Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh government Monday night announced that it would pay two months' salary as advance to non-gazetted officers who took part in strike to oppose bifurcation of the state.

The officers from Seemandhra region, who abstained from work for over two months, suspended their agitation ten days ago. The employees, represented by Andhra Pradesh Non-Gazetted Officers' Association (APNGO), went on a strike between August 13 and October 18. Following the intervention of Chief Minister Kiran Reddy, they called off the strike temporarily and resumed duties on October 19. Reddy tonight agreed to pay two months' salary as advance to the employees, a release from the Chief Minister's Office said. The government paid one month's salary advance to Telangana NGOs when they had gone on strike for over a month in 2011, demanding creation of a separate state.