Thiruvananthapuram: The management of the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has decided to implement the earlier decision to link salaries in proportion to the monthly target despite the objection by labour unions. Transport Minister Antony Raju said that action would be taken against the officers for not meeting the target of each depot.

In the first phase, the onus won't be on individual employees to meet the revenue target but on depots. The responsibility of arriving at the target will be parcelled out among the chargeman, inspector, District Transport Officers (DTOs) and Assistant Transport Officers (ATOs). If the target at the depot level is not met their future promotion would be affected and even risk demotion.

Buses in the categories of ordinary to super class too will have revenue targets.

The employees and the leaders of the trade unions would be given training on the target-based pay in March and April, stated Biju Prabhakar, KSRTC Chairman and Managing Director.

Rs 215-265 monthly target
The present income of the KSRTC is Rs 200 crore a month. The new target has been fixed by raising this to Rs 265. For the period from June to September when there are fewer passengers owing to the rainy season and vacations, the target has been fixed at Rs 215 crore per month.

This will be divided among the depots.

The income for February was Rs 178 crore since the month has only 28 days.

Ticket inspection to be beefed up
Hereafter, officials from the level of DTO and ATO who hold the responsibility of the depot to the executive directors will have to inspect buses for 10 days a month. They must check at least 20 buses.

This is in addition to the regular ticket checks conducted by Checkers.

Not just that, a penalty amounting to 10 times the ticket fare would be imposed on the conductor if offences such as ticketless travel is detected in SWIFT buses. The official who made the inspection on the buses will receive 25% of the penalty amount.

Penalties will be imposed on undercharged luggage or those for which no fare has been collected.

February pay in instalments
The February salary for the KSRTC staff will be paid in two instalments. The disbursal of the first instalment began late on Saturday and will be completed today (March 5).

The State Finance Department had handed over Rs 30 crore to the KSRTC yesterday.

An amount of Rs 39 crore is required to pay half the salaries to all the employees, including temporary workers.

Although unions, including the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), had staged protests yesterday against the payment of the salary in instalments, the management said that there was no other way out.

The rest of the salary would be paid when the government gives more funds.