THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala State Electricity Board has come under the scanner following allegations of fund diversion that cropped up after KSEB delayed depositing the Rs 132 crore collected from its employees as salary challenge to the CMDRF.
Refuting the allegations, KSEB chairman N S Pillai said that the delay in transferring employees’ contributions to the CMDRF after the 2018 floods, was due to the delay in collecting funds from the employees. He said that the board wanted to make one single payment to CMDRF.
“Immediately after the disaster struck, KSEB paid `50 crore to CMDRF with employees contribution amounting to 10.27 crore, pensioners 2.50 crore and remaining from the board’s coffers,” he told Express.
Power minister M M Mani had called upon the employees of the board to donate one month’s salary to CMDRF and most of the employees had responded to this call even before the salary challenge was called upon by the government.
“Several employees, including myself, opted for instalment payment of one month’s salary, some opted to pay it in 10 instalments. We collected Rs 132.46 crore. I had informed our minister and Chief Minister the payment will be done soon. By August 16, the papers were all cleared for payment and the cheque is ready,” he said.
Some had criticised KSEB that it had delayed depositing the salary challenge fund due to financial crisis.
The Kerala Water Authority owes KSEB Rs 1,500 crore in power tariff charges. Several such disparate payment delays have pushed KSEB to financial crisis. Meanwhile, a high-level meeting attended by Power minister M M Mani on Monday unanimously decided to pay one day’s salary of the employees to the CMDRF for this year’s flood relief.
Min to hand over cheque to CM on Tuesday
T’Puram: Under fire KSEB will finally deposit the salary challenge collection amount. Power minister M M Mani will hand over the cheque of Rs 132 crore to the Chief Minister on Tuesday.
“The money will be handed over to the Chief Minister at 3 pm on Tuesday in two cheques which includes the money contributed by the employees and pensioners,” N S Pillai told Express.