To address the KSRTC salary situation, a conversation with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will take place today. The move by the administration follows harsh censure from the High Court. The management requests that the government provide extra funding for paying salaries. Today’s discussion will also touch on issues like single duty.
Despite numerous negotiations, only the question of employee wages remains unresolved. According to rumours, today’s debate would include participation from both Transport Secretary Biju Prabhakar and Transport Minister Antony Raju.
Yesterday, the High Court ordered the government to pay KSRTC workers a total of Rs 103 crore in salaries and benefits. In light of the employees’ request that compensation distribution be given priority, the court stepped in. For the months of July and August, KSRTC had requested payments of Rs 50 crore each, plus Rs 3 crore for the allowance. To pay this money was mandated by the court.
The KSRTC had informed the High Court that it needed assistance from the government in order to be able to pay its staff. However, the government has asked the court for 10 extra days to be given to pay the salary for the previous two months. The workers cannot be starved, the court said in opposition to this argument. The High Court then mandated that KSRTC be paid 103 crores.
