Kerala government to decide on repaying staff salary, meant for COVID-19 fight, after six months
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala Finance Minister Thomas Isaac on Saturday said that a decision on returning a part of the salary of government employees, set aside for fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, will be taken after six months based on the circumstances prevailing then.
In order to raise funds for fighting the virus pandemic in the state, the state government on Friday issued an order to set aside a part of the salary of all government employees. The state cabinet earlier decided to deduct the salary for six days every month for the next five months.
"We will take a decision after evaluating the circumstances then. Anyhow, we have at least six months to decide. Some employees would like to get the amount as whole. Some would like to add the deducted amount to their provident fund. So we will take a decision upon that after considering the situation later," Isaac said.
He also lashed out at certain teachers associations which had burned the copies of the government order on setting aside the salary of the government employees. "There are thousands in Kerala who don't have an income for last one month. The government has asked to set aside just a part of their salary for assisting those who don't have any revenue. What kind of social message are these teachers giving out to the future generation they are teaching," a peevedIsaac asked.
Various teachers' organisations, attached to the Congress-led UDF has been strongly opposing the government order setting aside a part of the salary of state government employees to the CM Covid Relief Fund.
The order made it clear that no salary cut will be there for those staff who earn less than Rs 20,000 per month. "The salary for six days every month would be deducted for the next five months. This would be applicable to employees of all State-owned Enterprises, Public Sector Undertakings, Quasi-Government organisations, Universities, etc in the State," the order said.
The order also stated that the ministers, MLAs, various Board members, Local body institution members, members of various Commissions would receive 30 per cent less salary for one year. However, this order is not applicable for those who had already contributed their one month salary to the Chief Minister's Disaster Relief Fund (CMDRF).
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had said that the state would consider to give back the amount deducted to the employees when the financial condition of the state improved. However, there was no mention of it in the order.