THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Contrary to State Youth Commission chairperson Chintha Jerome’s claim that she had not demanded an honorarium hike, the government on Tuesday issued an order sanctioning Rs 8.5 lakh to her as pay arrears for 17 months and set her monthly salary to Rs 1 lakh.
Sports and youth welfare department principal secretary M Sivasankar issued the order stating that Chintha Jerome has been sanctioned Rs 1 lakh as monthly salary with effect from 6-01-2017 to 26-05-2018, spanning a duration of 17 months.
During this period, Chintha was drawing an honorarium of Rs 50,000 per month. The state government increased her salary to Rs 1 lakh from 26-05-2018. In August, Chintha had sent a letter to the government demanding that the uncertainty over her salary should be addressed.
When the issue snowballed into a major controversy at a time when the state is facing financial doldrums, Chintha maintained that she had not sought the intervention of the government. She also challenged the media to produce the so-called letter which she wrote.
She had also claimed that if she gets the dues, she would donate it to the Chief Minister’s Distress Relief Fund. Reacting to the GO, former State Youth Commission chairman R V Rajesh, who is currently the state Congress secretary, said it is a clear case of discrimination.
He said that the LDF government is yet to implement the High Court order directing the state to pay his salary dues. Youth Congress vice-president K S Sabarinadhan took a jibe at Chintha where he offered her ‘salutations.’ On Facebook, Sabarinadhan stated that the government buckled under pressure after her repeated pleas.