Feb salaries of govt employees unpaid, to be disbursed on Monday if Rs 1800 crores bankrolled

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala government employees from the Chief Secretary to the last grade employees can be paid only if Rs 1800 crore is urgently found and the treasury fund is managed. The government estimates that it will be possible by Monday.

Fund management is intertwined with the government's day-to-day needs, loan repayments and salary disbursements. If it is arranged then the salary can be paid. Rs 4122 crore received from the Centre as allocation for Kerala the other day is being utilized in this way. Pension distribution is going on as usual. Usually, most of the amount from this fund is not fully withdrawn. In effect, it will remain with the government.

At the same time, for the first time in history, the government was haunted by the reputation of not being able to distribute salaries on the first two days of the month. According to the records, the salaries of the employees have been deposited in the treasury accounts but the money has not been transferred to them.

Finance Minister KN Balagopal's response was that the salary could not be withdrawn due to technical reasons. The minister also alleged that the Centre has not given the Rs 13600 crores the state should be getting this month. Opposition leader V.D.Satheesan blamed the government's lack of efficiency for this. He also demanded that the government release a white paper clarifying financial situation in Kerala.

Employees protest

A march was held to the Secretariat yesterday under the leadership of the Secretariat Action Council to protest against the delay in salaries. The ruling party organizations are also irked by the delay. The NGO Sangh also organized a march to the Treasury Directorate. 7 installments of DA of employees are also due.

Loan repayment extended

1 The government has started making intensive efforts to overcome the crisis. As the treasury is in overdraft, it cannot take more money. Loan repayment of Rs 3140 crores from co-operative banks has been deferred for one year.

2. It has been proposed to raise money from cooperatives and to transfer the savings of PSUs to the treasury for the time being.

Salary in account, says govt

The salary received in the Employee Treasury Savings Bank (ETSB) account in the treasury goes from there to the bank account of the officers. The government says that the salary has been transferred to the ETSB. But, it has not gone to bank accounts.

Salary disbursement

• First working day: Land revenue, excise, vehicle tax, sale tax, other tax departments, Chief Electoral Inspectorate, stamps, registration, legislature, elections, institutions under the general administration department, law department, jails, police and fire force, stationery and printing, insurance, Harijan Welfare, municipalities, water transportation
• Second day: Department of education, medical and public health.
• Third day: Agriculture, fisheries, animal husbandry, cooperation, industry, scientific departments, labour, rural development, statistics, port, civil supplies, dairy development