Thiruvananthapuram: There is no end to the financial woes of the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) as prompt payment of salaries to the employees remains difficult. Even its recent decision to hand over monthly pay in two tranches has not eased the fiscal situation. Now, there is uncertainty over the payment of the second instalment of the salary for the month of February.
The KSRTC management has taken the stand that the second instalment will be paid when the government sanctions the funds. The State Finance Department has to sanction Rs 20 crore for January and Rs 50 crore for February as its share. However, the Finance Department has not taken any steps so far to release these amounts.
Labour unions angry
Meanwhile, the trade unions are preparing to launch an agitation against the new part-payment system. The Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS), which has announced its plan for a strike, will decide the date at a meeting today (March 12).
Earlier the KSRTC management had informed the court that no one had given a complaint in writing against the payment of salary in instalments and that all the employees had been paid the first part.
No one had been denied the salary and that it was decided to give the salary in instalments considering the appeal by the employees to make payments in the first week itself to enable them to pay bank dues and meet other financial commitments, the court was told.
However, the counsel for the petitioners said that the court was approached as employees are against the payment of salary in instalments.
The leaders of the KSRTC Employees' Association (CITU) promised Transport Minister Antony Raju during a meeting that there would be no strike for the time being in the KSRTC. However, the CITU leaders made it clear that they would not accept payment of salary in instalments.
