Andhra Pradesh approves Swarna Ward Secretariat promotion channels

The Andhra Pradesh government has approved a cadre restructuring to establish promotion channels for Swarna Ward Secretariat employees. This decision aims to provide structured career progression for staff, including ward administrative, data processing, sanitation, and planning secretaries, many of whom have faced stagnation for over six years.

The restructuring involves sanctioning 815 junior assistant posts and upgrading 815 posts in the sanitation and planning cadres from Grade-II to Grade-I. The government stated that the move utilizes existing sanctioned posts without additional financial implications or employee displacement.

In a separate development, Swarna Gramam Swarna Ward (SGSW) employees staged protests in Vijayawada to demand notional increments, settlement of dues, and permanent promotion structures. The demonstrations were met with significant police intervention, resulting in the detention of hundreds of workers at transit points and within the city. While employee associations alleged forceful removals and poor conditions for detainees, police cited restrictions under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita and the Police Act as the reason for denying protest permissions.