File photo of people working in a government office.Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala government aims to disburse all salaries and pensions through treasury accounts with the introduction of core banking in treasuries from January. The disbursal of pensions will be entirely done through treasuries with the inauguration of core banking in January. Salary disbursement will also be completely done through treasury accounts sooner.
About 5.50 lakh government employees and pensioners use their bank accounts to draw their salaries and pensions while about 4.50 lakh employees and pensioners rely on treasuries. About 50,000 people are paid directly.
The conversion of 5.50 lakh accounts into treasury accounts is expected to benefit the government. The Finance Department says that government employees and pensioners can transfer their salaries and pensions from the treasury accounts to the bank accounts if they wish so. They will have an option to give a standing instruction online.
Those who receive their salaries and pensions in their bank accounts can authorize the treasury to transfer the money to their accounts. Pensioners who opt to receive the money in their bank accounts can continue to do so.
The government has introduced core banking in treasury as part of its comprehensive fiscal management program. Anyone with a treasury account can transact through any treasury in the state. The government is also in the final stage of introducing software to allow employees and pensioners to pay utility bills and exam fees online.
The Treasury Director told Onmanorama that talks were on to convert the disbursement of salaries and pensions through the treasury and a final decision has not been taken.
