Thiruvananthapuram: After approving a significant salary hike for the PSC chairman and members, the Kerala government has now proposed an increase in the annual travel allowance for its special representative in Delhi, KV Thomas. A recommendation to raise his travel allowance from ₹5 lakh to ₹11.31 lakh has been placed before the legislature's subject committee. In 2024-25, an additional amount of ₹6,31,000 was spent for Thomas' travel allowance over and above the budgeted amount of ₹5 lakh. 

The finance department will take the final decision on the general administration department’s proposal. Currently, the government spends nearly ₹30 lakh annually on the special representative’s honorarium, salaries of personal staff, air travel expenses and fuel costs for his official vehicle.

KV Thomas, a former Union minister who was expelled from the Congress, was appointed as Kerala’s special representative in Delhi with cabinet rank on January 19, 2023. His role involves safeguarding the state’s interests at the national level, engaging with the central government and officials and intervening in key policy matters.