KSRTC pays no heed to trade unions, distributes salary in instalments

Thiruvananthapuram: Paying no heed to the opposition of trade unions, the Kerala State Regional Transport Corporation (KSRTC) distributed employees' salaries in instalments.

Staff were paid half their salary on Sunday. The management said the finance department would have to lend a helping hand for the second instalment to be disbursed.

KSRTC clarified that it would require the government's financial assistance to clear the employees' second instalment.

In an affidavit filed in the High Court, KSRTC had informed that it would not be able to clear the dues of the employees from the collections made per month.

It further stated salaries were distributed for a year with the Rs 50 crore the corporation received from the government every month.

KSRTC receives this amount between the 12th and 15 of each month.

The corporation's average monthly collection is Rs 200 crore, of which Rs 104 crore is used for fuel purposes, Rs 30.18 crore for loan repayment, Rs 10.5 crore to purchase tyres and spare parts, Rs 5 crore for FASTag, phone and electricity charges, Rs 9 crore for duty surrender and incentives and Rs 6.35 crore for contributory pension and LIC.

With the remaining Rs 35 crore, only 45 to 50 per cent of employees' salaries can be paid, stated KSRTC.

The corporation also informed the court that besides these expenses, it had other liabilities like accident compensation.

Meanwhile, Transport Minister Antony Raju has called the CITU for a discussion at the Legislative Assembly at 11.30 am on Monday.