Staff salary hike demand puts Telangana govt in a soup

Hyderabad: The cash-strapped Telangana government is in a spot with the employees demanding salary hike that would result in an additional burden of Rs 138 billion on the exchequer each year. The amount would work out to equivalent of the revenue earned in the current fiscal year. "We expected to receive Rs 486.20 billion by the end of this month as the targeted revenue receipts, but, we could not achieve even half of it. With all difficulty, it may reach Rs 140 billion," said an official in the finance department. "If the government wants to meet the demand of the employees then the entire revenue earned will go to meet the increment component of their salary alone. So, it is not practical," the official added.