6,017 AP employees to retire in 2016-17

Hyderabad, Dec 11: At least 6,017 employees are expected to retire from government service in Andhra Pradesh between June 2, 2016 and March 31, 2017, according to sources. As of now, there are just 3.5 lakh government employees. About two per cent of them are expected to retire between 2016 and 2017. Soon after assuming office, AP Chief Minister had raised the age of retirement of government employees from 58 to 60 years. As a result there were no retirements till now after the state was bifurcated. With this, the 2016-17 fiscal will come to be known as 'the year of retirements'. The state government will, therefore, have to spend at least Rs 2,000 crores during the 2016-17 fiscal year towards payment of gratuity and other financial benefits to the retiring employees. In this connection, the finance ministry has already issued directives to increase allocations in next fiscal's budget.