KOCHI: The State government on Wednesday submitted before the Kerala High Court that the government employees could contribute any amount they choose to the Chief Minister Distress Relief Fund (CMDRF), but they would not be entitled to the concessions offered by the order directing to contribute one month salary.
The state also pointed out that 82.17 per cent of those working in aided colleges have already submitted unwillingness to contribute will clearly reveal that the employees are free to exercise their option not to contribute their salary.
Opposing the petition of Kerala NGO Sangh against the order of the Kerala Administrative Tribunal (KAT) refusing to stay the salary challenge notification, the state submitted that the order was issued in the extraordinary situation prevailing in the state.
According to the state, the concessions such as leave surrender, PF loan would not be available to such employees who contribute any amount to the relief fund. These concessions were available only to those who offered a month's gross salary. However, they could also avail of the benefits under the income tax exemption clause.
The Chief Secretary had issued a note on September 15, clarifying that there was no compulsion. Later on, on September 29, the government had also issued another circular clarifying that if an employee intended to contribute anything less than one month's gross salary he/she could freely contribute and avail tax exemption.
The government said that the 48 per cent of the state's revenue was spent for payment of salary and 27 per cent for pension. The employees were generous in accepting the call of the government.
The government employee had various options for making the contribution to the relief fund; through leave surrender, availing PF loan or fourth instalment of pay revision arrears and deduction from regular salary. The employees could make the contribution combing these options also. In view of various options available to an employee, including the option not to contribute, there was no element of compulsion. It was purely voluntary in nature.
Of the 176259 non-gazetted officers in the state, approximately 140219 had co-operated and the same was the case with 18660 gazetted officers out of the 23597.85 per cent of the secretariat staff cooperated with the salary challenge, said the state government.