Thiruvananthapuram: Approximately 15,000 employees will retire from government service on Thursday and Friday. Half of them are school teachers. In the Kerala Secretariat alone, 150 individuals, including five Special Secretaries, are among the retirees. About 800 people will conclude their service with the police department while 60 from Motor Vehicles Department. Though 674 individuals, including conductors and drivers, are retiring from the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), they have been instructed to return to work from June 1. It has been decided to reinduct them on a temporary basis.

About 300 employees in the Local Self-Government Department and 461 staff, ranging in rank from office assistants to tehsildars in the Revenue Department are also ending their service in this month. In the Civil Supplies Department, a total of 66 officials, including rationing controller and seven district supply officers will enter retirement life. From the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB), 1,099 individuals, including eight Chief Engineers, 17 Deputy Chief Engineers, and 33 Executive Engineers are retiring, but no replacements will be made soon. Procedures for new appointments have been temporarily halted as part of the reorganisation in each department to reduce the number of employees.

A total of 48 individuals, including Additional Secretaries, are exiting from the Kerala Public Service Commission (PSC). Among them, 22 are the staff at the PSC headquarters and 26 are from district offices. Sixteen individuals are retiring from various departments of Kerala University.

As a policy,  those in lower ranks should be promoted to replace the retirees in all departments, and vacancies at the lower level should be reported. Although promotions are being granted to those in service, candidates on the PSC rank list are not getting jobs as the vacancies are not being reported promptly.

Rs 3,500 crore borrowed
An amount of Rs 7,500 crore is required to provide benefits to retiring government employees for this month and the next. The government borrowed Rs 3,500 crore on Tuesday to pay these benefits and this month's salaries.