Archive · 9 Aug 2026
Andhra Pradesh unions dispute government's 95% HR expenditure claim
The government of Andhra Pradesh, a state in India, published a big report called a White Paper.
In the report, it said that salaries for government workers and pensions for retired workers used up 95 percent of the money the state earns by itself.
Workers' groups called unions did not agree with that number.
They said that according to the government's own official auditor, the CAG, worker pay is only about 37 percent of what the state spends.
The unions also said the government should have explained how it got its numbers.
They pointed out that a huge payment of about 30,000 crore rupees is mostly money workers saved during their jobs, like their own savings plans, not new spending.
Many retired workers have been waiting for almost two years to get money they are owed.
The unions asked the government to clear pending payments and take other steps to help workers.
They warned that if nothing changes, they will plan bigger protests after August 15.
The dispute is about whether workers really cost the state as much as the government says.
Andhra Pradesh's White Paper, released on August 4, claimed salaries, pensions and employee payments consumed 95% of the state's own revenue in 2025-26.
Employee unions APJAC Amaravati and APNGO Association rejected the claim, citing CAG figures showing employee expenditure was 37.41% of total revenue expenditure.
APJAC chairman Bopparaju Venkateswarlu said employee-related expenditure was 59.36% of tax revenue and demanded the government explain its basis.
Unions argued the roughly Rs 30,000 crore paid toward employee liabilities largely covers accumulated GPF, APGLI and medical reimbursements, not fresh spending.
They demanded a PRC Commissioner, release of five pending DA instalments and other measures promised by the NDA coalition government, warning of joint action after August 15.
- Who
- Andhra Pradesh state government led by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, challenged by employee unions APJAC Amaravati and APNGO Association.
- What
- Unions dispute the White Paper claim that salaries, pensions and employee payments consumed 95% of the state's own revenue in 2025-26, citing CAG figures.
- When
- The White Paper was released on August 4; unions responded at press conferences on the following Saturday.
- Where
- Amaravati and Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, India.
- Why
- Unions say the 95% figure misrepresents employees' burden on the exchequer and that the White Paper ignored pending dues such as five DA instalments, PRC appointments and pension restoration.
Employee Unions
State Government
Scale of HR expenditure
Employee Unions
CAG figures show employee expenditure is only 37.41% of total revenue expenditure and about 59.36% of tax revenue, not 95%.
State Government
The White Paper presents salaries, pensions and employee-related payments as consuming 95% of the state's own revenue in 2025-26.
Meaning of the Rs 30,000 crore payment
Employee Unions
A substantial portion relates to GPF, APGLI and medical reimbursement amounts accumulated by employees and paid after retirement, not fresh expenditure on serving employees.
State Government
The White Paper counts employee-related payments as part of the HR expenditure burden on the state exchequer.
- White Paper release date
- August 4
- Government's HR expenditure claim
- 95% of state's own revenue in 2025-26
- Unions' CAG-based figure
- 37.41% of total revenue expenditure
- Employee expenditure share of tax revenue
- 59.36% (per APJAC Amaravati)
- Employee-related payments
- Approximately Rs 30,000 crore
- Employees retired 2024-2026
- 41,321 (13,643 in 2024, 13,583 in 2025, 14,095 in 2026)
- Pending DA instalments
- 5
- Comparison with Telangana
- APNGO says employee expenditure is below 38% of total revenue expenditure, comparable with Telangana