AP govt amends Act to appoint Olympic medallist PV Sindhu as Group-1 officer

The Andhra Pradesh Legislature on Tuesday passed a Bill to appoint Olympics silver medal winning shuttler P V Sindhu as a Group-1 officer in the government, by amending the State Public Services Act.

Certain provisions in the Andhra Pradesh (Regulation of Appointments to Public Services and Rationalisation of Staff Pattern and Pay Structure) Act, 1994, prevented the appointment of the badminton player as any recruitment in public service should only be through the AP Public Service Commission, selection committee or employment exchange.

To give effect to the Cabinet resolution, the government decided to amend section 4 of the aforementioned law to enable appointment of Sindhu directly in the cadre of a revenue divisional officer.

Accordingly, state Finance Minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu introduced a Bill to amend the Act and it was passed unanimously in the Assembly.

The Bill was later passed by the Legislative Council as well.

Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu announced in the state Assembly on the occasion that his government intended to appoint Sindhu as the state's sports ambassador.

"We will give government jobs to other meritorious sportspersons as well," he said.

Following her success in the Olympics last year, the Andhra Pradesh Cabinet had passed a resolution on August 22, 2016, offering Sindhu a Group-1 (gazetted officer) post of her choice.

The government also gave a cash reward of Rs 3 crore and a residential plot to Sindhu in Amaravati.