Workers engaged on contract basis to render services in the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) are no more dependent on the agencies recruiting them for monthly pay and allied benefits such as Employee Provident Fund and ESI, which they have genuinely earned.

As many as 4,000 outsourced workers in various departments such as security, temple kitchen, food service (Annadanam), etc. have formed themselves into registered societies as the result of which their wages are directly credited into bank accounts. With 1,400 guards on contract, the major chunk goes to the security department.

The step follows complaints that the recruiting agencies are failing to pay the salary and make the mandatory allocations.

Steps were taken by the officials to remove the manpower providers and put societies in their place, only after it dawned on them that the accusing finger would not point to the tainted recruiter, but the hirer – the TTD in this case.

As this will need coordination and constant monitoring, an assistant executive officer has been appointed to oversee the ‘changeover' from outsourcing to society setup. “The transition is expected to be smooth as the registration of societies and the election of the respective presidents and secretaries is on,” Executive Officer I.Y.R. Krishna Rao told media persons here on Tuesday. It took almost a year for the idea to take a concrete shape, he said.

Constant monitoring

The health of the societies would be constantly monitored by holding meetings with the stakeholders and by training them in the nuances of running the bodies in a hassle-free manner, the Chief Vigilance and Security Officer M.K. Singh said.

He, however, hastened to add that the workers would run the societies independently.

Hindu Dharma Prachara Parishat secretary Kasireddy Venkata Reddy and Public Relations Officer T. Ravi were present.