Thiruvananthapuram: The government is considering a proposal to increase the retirement age of KSRTC employees, chief minister Pinarayi Vjayan told the Assembly on Tuesday.
The opposition staged a walkout protesting against the government move. Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala alleged that the government may increase the pension age for all government servants and the proposed move with regard to KSRTC staff is a pointer to it.
In reply, the chief minister asserted that the government is not planning to increase the pension age of its other employees.
V T Balram of the Congress, moving an adjournment motion, said that the government is utilising the crisis in the KSRTC to increase the pension age for all government employees.
"This is one of the proposals of the Sushil Khanna report (which had pointed out the need to increase the pension age of government employees). The government is cheating the youth," alleged Balram.
The chief minister replied that according to the proposal, if the pension age is raised, the government can save Rs 450 crore every year and this amount can be used to set up a pension fund.
The proposal to raise the pension age is just one of the recommendations, said transport minister A K Saseendran.
Refusing to buy the government explanation, Ramesh Chennithala said that the opposition will start massive protests if the retirement age is raised. V K Ibrahim Kunju, Anoop Jacob and O Rajagopal also protested against the government move.
KSRTC revenue rises
Following the increase in bus fare, the KSRTC has seen an increase of Rs 30 lakh in daily revenue. The surge was reported in March. While the income was Rs 47.48 crore from February 1 to 8, it was Rs 49.9 crore during March 1 to 8. The bus fare was raised with effect from March 1.
