Thiruvananthapuram: The drivers and conductors of the crisis-ridden Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) were given their April salary on Friday after the State Government gave an additional assistance of Rs 20 crore. Other employees will be given salary either on Saturday or on Sunday.
The amount of Rs 30 crore earlier given by the State Government was used for repaying the earlier overdraft taken from the bank. Later, the KSRTC took Rs 50 crore from the bank as overdraft.
The additional aid was given by the State Government to the KSRTC after Transport Minister Antony Raju held discussions with Finance Minister KN Balagopal.
A total of Rs 82 crore is needed monthly to meet salary expenses.
CITU targets Minister
In another developpent, CITU State president Anathalavattom Anandan, while speaking at the protest meeting organised by the union, çame down heavily on the Transport Minister for blaming unions for the salary crisis.
He said that the minister's statement that only the Corporation has the sole responsibility to pay salaries in the KSRTC had hurt the sentiments of the workers. He also opposed the reforms such as city circular services and the introduction of CNG buses.
The CITU would come up with an alternate plan for the revival of the debt-ridden KSRTC on June 6, Anandan said.
Meanwhile, the BMS-affiliated union in the KSRTC will begin hunger strike in front of the ministers' residence from today in protest against the denial of salary to workers.
Raju's response
Meanwhile, Antony Raju claimed that the CITU had not criticised him.
To a question on the remarks made by former Transport Minister and LDF leader KB Ganesh Kumar about the KSRTC affairs, he said hé did not want to respond to such silly statements.
Ganesh Kumar had said that the CPM should take over the transport portfolio from Raju.
