Hyderabad: The Telangana government released ₹713 crore towards pending employee bills for the month of December, following orders issued by Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Bhatti Vikramarka Mallu.
Acting on his directions, officials of the Finance Department cleared bills amounting to ₹713 crore on Wednesday. The release covered long-pending payments due to government employees across departments.
The cleared bills included gratuity payments, General Provident Fund withdrawals, surrender leave encashment and various employee advances. Officials said the move would ease financial pressure on employees who had been awaiting settlements for several months.
The government had earlier assured employee unions that it would release at least ₹700 crore every month towards pending employee bills. This assurance was part of ongoing discussions between the Praja Government and employee representatives.
By the end of June, the government released ₹183 crore towards such dues. However, from August onwards, the Finance Department ensured the consistent release of a minimum of ₹700 crore every month, officials said.
Pending employee bills cleared under monthly assurance
Officials said the December release reaffirmed the government’s commitment to clearing accumulated employee liabilities in a phased and systematic manner. They added that regular monthly releases helped departments process claims faster and reduce overall pendency.
Employee unions had repeatedly raised concerns over delays in gratuity, provident fund settlements and leave encashment. The Finance Department said it was prioritising these categories to ensure retired and serving employees receive their dues without prolonged delays.
Government sources said further releases would continue in the coming months as part of the monthly commitment. They said the aim was to gradually bring down the backlog of pending employee bills while maintaining fiscal discipline.
The Finance Department said departments had been instructed to submit verified claims promptly to avoid future accumulation. Officials added that streamlined processing and timely fund releases would help restore confidence among government employees.
