Demand to Extend 62-Year Retirement Age to Electricity Employees

State electricity employees’ forum leaders have urged the Andhra Pradesh government to extend the retirement age benefit of 62 years to power sector staff under Schedules 9 and 10, citing parity with other government employees. They submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu at the Mangalagiri party office seeking equal treatment in service conditions. Leaders said that when the retirement age was earlier increased from 58 to 60 years, it was uniformly applied to all categories of employees, including electricity staff.

However they alleged that in the latest extension from 60 to 62 years, electricity department employees under Schedules 9 and 10 were left out, creating disparity within the workforce. The forum leaders argued that the power sector plays a crucial role in state development and should not be excluded from welfare measures applicable to other government employees.

They pointed out that a government group of ministers was formed to review the issue and had submitted a report, but electricity employees were reportedly excluded from its scope. Forum general secretary S. Koteswara Rao and vice president M. Satyanandam appealed for corrective action and requested immediate implementation of the 62-year retirement benefit for electricity staff along with other state government employees.