Telangana's Salary and Pension Bill Quadruples with Engineers Earning Up to Rs 7 Lakh

Telangana's monthly salary and pension expenditure has surged nearly fourfold since 2014, reaching about Rs 6,000 crore, driven by successive pay revisions often aligned with election cycles. Chief engineers in power utilities earn up to Rs 7 lakh per month, while senior sweepers and drivers with long service can earn around Rs 2 lakh and over Rs 1 lakh respectively. These increases have raised fixed government costs, with some public-sector salaries now exceeding those of IAS officers and the Governor. Officials note the state's strong revenue growth has helped manage this financial burden amid concerns over fiscal consolidation and subsidy pressures.