THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: “We are not being paid and our onam is nothing but starvation”; complaints are aplenty as the literacy preraks in Kerala face yet another disastrous Onam. As the state is about to welcome Onam with people regaling in festive spirits, not much has changed for the preraks as the government's ineptness saw salaries getting stalled even during the festive season.

The Indefinite Satyagraha of Kerala Prerak Association has passed 280 days in front of the secretariat. The literacy mission informed the media that they distributed one month’s salary to many literacy preraks in the state. However, the preraks had a different story to tell as many complained about not receiving any money in their account.

Many people faced severe debt after their salary was stopped. The government did not implement the order issued in March to transfer the promoters who were part of the literacy mission from the education department to the local department.

With the current halt in salaries, the insurance has also expired. In 2017, the salary scheme for Preraks was revised but it was duly followed only for just three months.

KSPA State Committee General Secretary in Charge A.A. Santosh said that for three months from January 7 to March 31, 2017, they received Rs 10,500, Rs 12,000, and Rs 15,000 each from the panchayat.

According to Santhosh, the problems started to pop up after the Literacy Mission imposed unscientific criteria to pay salaries directly. It is now a predicament for more than 1726 Preraks in Kerala, who are currently fighting an arduous game to make ends meet. They also demanded that the Chief Minister resolve the issue urgently.