THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The strike called by a section of KSRTC employees protesting against the partial payment of salaries affected bus services only partially, according to Transport Minister A K Saseendran.
As many as 2,489 buses conducted services on Friday morning. Services that were discontinued due to picketing and attacks were resumed by afternoon. The government has instructed the KSRTC management to take stern action against employees who damaged buses and tried to prevent the services, the minister said.
For the past six years, the KSRTC has been meeting its salary liabilities through loans taken from various financial institutions. Prompt repayment ensures that the corporation is provided fresh loans. Even then, financial institutions disburse loans only after completing due procedures. This was the reason for announcing that the salary would be paid only on February 7, Saseendran said.
The February salary is being paid with loans taken from the Kerala Transport Finance Development Corporation. This being the situation, the strike would only serve to push the KSRTC deeper into debt, the minister said.
The Finance Department has been asked to look into the shortfall of `7.5 crore in the amount sanctioned towards pension payment, he said.
He said the transport secretary has been given instructions to look into the grievances of pensioners.