The Telangana government has decided to cut ministers’ salaries by 50 percent to raise funds for clearing long-pending retirement benefits.
The decision was taken at a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on April 23.
Announcing the move, Information and Public Relations Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy said the reduction was voluntary and could be extended further if needed. He told reporters that ministers had agreed to halve their salaries, and public representatives could also follow the same approach to help clear dues owed to retired employees.
100-day plan to address dues
The cabinet set a 100-day timeline to begin arrangements for clearing pending payments. It also approved the formation of a resource mobilisation sub-committee, which will engage with employee unions, teachers’ bodies and pensioners’ groups.
Officials indicated that liabilities have grown significantly over time. Around ₹6,200 crore is due to serving employees, while about ₹8,000 crore is pending for retirees. The cabinet noted that delays in payments have caused hardship for pensioners and their families.
The government also urged RTC employees to withdraw their ongoing strike, assuring them that their concerns would be addressed. It said large unpaid bills from the previous administration had contributed to the current financial strain.
Other cabinet decisions
The cabinet cleared several additional proposals. These included nominations for governing bodies of Primary Agricultural Cooperative Societies whose terms had ended. It also approved the development of Gachibowli Stadium under a public private partnership model, with plans to expand capacity to 50,000 seats.
Further approvals included land acquisition for the Chinna Kaleshwaram project, expected to benefit 45,000 acres across 63 villages, and the establishment of an Integrated Aqua Park near the Sripada Yellampalli project in Mancherial district.
The move follows a similar step by the Himachal Pradesh government, which recently implemented salary cuts for its leadership to manage fiscal pressure.
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First Published on April 24, 2026, 11:34:42 IST
