Archive · 28 Sep 2026
Andhra Pradesh Clears Promotions for Swarna Ward Employees
The Andhra Pradesh government has created new ways for some Swarna Ward Secretariat workers to receive promotions.
Many of these workers joined in 2019 and had waited more than six years for a chance to move up.
The plan covers four groups of employees who work in city services.
The government created 815 Junior Assistant posts by reorganising existing vacant or extra posts.
It also upgraded 1,630 sanitation and planning posts from Grade-II to Grade-I.
Officials said no current employee will lose their job and no extra money will be needed for the restructuring.
Training will help workers handle their changing responsibilities and use digital tools.
Promotion plans for two other groups will be considered after a staffing review.
Promotion channels have been operationalised for four categories of Swarna Ward Secretariat employees across Andhra Pradesh’s urban local bodies.
The move addresses promotion stagnation affecting many employees recruited in 2019 who have completed more than six years of service.
The government sanctioned 815 Junior Assistant posts by rationalising 915 surplus and vacant posts.
A further 1,630 promotional positions were created by upgrading 815 posts each in sanitation and planning cadres from Grade-II to Grade-I.
Training is planned, while promotion channels for welfare and education and amenities secretaries remain under review.
- Who
- The Andhra Pradesh government, including Municipal Administration Minister Ponguru Narayana and Principal Secretary S Suresh Kumar, and four categories of Swarna Ward Secretariat employees.
- What
- The government operationalised promotion channels, sanctioned 815 Junior Assistant posts, and upgraded 1,630 sanitation and planning posts.
- When
- The decision followed State Cabinet approval; many affected employees recruited in 2019 have completed more than six years without promotion.
- Where
- Urban Local Bodies across Andhra Pradesh; the reports identify Vijayawada and Amaravati as locations associated with the announcement.
- Why
- To address promotional stagnation, provide structured career progression, strengthen supervision and support municipal service delivery.
- Employees covered
- Ward Administrative Secretaries, Ward Data Processing Secretaries, Ward Sanitation & Environment Secretaries (Grade-II), and Ward Planning & Regulation Secretaries (Grade-II).
- Junior Assistant posts
- 815 posts sanctioned by rationalising 915 surplus and vacant posts.
- Posts rationalised
- The 915 posts comprised 458 Ward Amenities Secretary Grade-II posts and 457 Ward Planning & Regulation Secretary Grade-II posts.
- Cadre upgrades
- 815 Ward Sanitation & Environment Secretary posts and 815 Ward Planning & Regulation Secretary posts upgraded from Grade-II to Grade-I.
- Total promotional positions
- 1,630 positions created through the cadre upgrades.
- Financial and staffing impact
- The government said existing sanctioned posts would be used, with no additional financial implications and no displacement of serving employees.
- Next steps
- Training and capacity-building will be conducted in consultation with the APHRD Institute; other promotion channels remain under review.
