A section of government employees took to the streets here on Saturday after salary disbursement was partially affected for the second day after the due date. While the government attributed the delay in salary disbursement to a technical glitch, unions affiliated to Opposition parties alleged that it was a fallout of the financial crisis faced by the government.
Union members said employees could not enchash the amount credited to their accounts because the treasury had frozen transactions. Denying the allegation, Finance Minister K.N. Balagopal said the salary and pensions would be disbursed soon.
The Secretariat Action Council representing Opposition unions took out a march in the city to protest the delay in salary disbursement. Leaders of the action council said the government had no right to remain in power if it was unable to pay salaries in time.
Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan said the delay in salary disbursement reflected the depth of the crisis that had gripped the State. He said the corruption, profligacy and financial mismanagement by the LDF regime had impoverished the State.
“All social security schemes are on the verge of derailment. Lakhs of senior citizens, widows and the destitute are facing untold hardships as welfare pensions have not been distributed for seven months. SC/ST students have not been aid assistance for education. Construction workers, anganwadi workers and other sections are also affected as the funds crunch hits welfare fund boards”.
Mr.Satheesan said the delay in salary disbursement for 1.25 lakh government employees was the latest impact of the crisis. The Governnment, he alleged, had come up with a false narrative that the Centre owed the State ₹57,800 crore while the actual figure was only ₹3,100 crore. He urged the government to bring out a white paper on the state of finances in Kerala.
The Secretariat Action Council threatened to launch a hunger strike on Monday if the issue was not sorted out and salaries disbursed to employees.
The Kerala Private School Teachers Association alleged that the LDF regime had brought Kerala down to its knees. The State secretariat of the Association which met here on Saturday said the cabinet was guilty of wasteful expenditure amid the financial crisis. It called on the Government to step down if it was not capable of paying salaries in time.
