THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state government spent a whopping Rs 20,000 crore this Onam season. This included normal expenditure like salary and pension and festival-related expenses. Rs 12,100 was spent on salary, bonus, pension and festival allowances to government employees and pensioners. Rs 1,800 crore was spent on welfare pensions to 62 lakh beneficiaries. “All families in the state have benefitted from the government’s steps to make Onam festivities affordable. The effective market intervention programmes helped in controlling prices of commodities,” said Finance Minister K N Balagopal.
The government spent Rs 34.29 crore for free food kit distribution. The beneficiaries included 6.03 lakh AAY card holders who received food kits with 15 items. Festival allowance to different contract and scheme workers under the government saw a significant rise. Festival allowance for ASHA workers was raised from Rs 1,200 to Rs 1,450. Anganwadi workers, Balavadi helpers and ayahs also received the same amount. Pre-primary teachers and ayahs were given Rs 1,350. BUDS school staff, palliative care nurses, Mahila Samakhya messengers, and Kishori Shakti Yojana school councillors received Rs 1,450 each.
School noon meal workers were given Rs 1,550 as festival allowance. Saksharata Preraks, assistant preraks, teaching and non-teaching staff of special schools received Rs 1,250. SC,ST promoters, lifeguards under the tourism department, and Homeguards under the Home Department got Rs 1,460.
Market intervention
Rs 262 crore was given to the state-run Supplyco and Consumerfed for subsidised sale of essential commodities. Supplyco is organising ten-day long Onam mega fairs at all district centres. Five-day long fairs are on in 140 assembly constituencies.
Rs 122 crore was sanctioned to the KSRTC for salary and bonus payment. The corporation gave Rs 3,000 bonus to employees.