Kerala: KSRTC driver stage protest by standing upside down due to delay in salary

By Aishwarya Nair | First Published Mar 14, 2024, 10:49 AM IST

A KSRTC driver in Idukki staged a protest on Thursday (Mar 14) after his salary was delayed even on the 13th day. KS Jayakumar of Munnar depot stood upside down for over 30 minutes.

Idukki: A KSRTC driver staged a dramatic protest on Thursday due to a delay in disbursing salary even after 13 days. KS Jayakumar, a driver at the Munnar depot, stood upside down for about 30 minutes and continued his protest. He is also an expert in martial arts. Jayakumar is the driver of the Munnar-Udumal Petta bus and also the district working president of BMS Employees Sangh. They said that they would go on a stronger protest if they did not get their salary.

The state government has earlier informed that it has completed the distribution of pending salaries of staffers.

Tap to resize

Latest Videos

Tap to resize

Nearly one lakh, which is approximately 20% of the total five lakh government employees, did not receive their salaries on time. This delay in salary distribution was reportedly done to prevent the state treasury from running into overdraft.

Meanwhile, the Kerala government rejected the central government's special package of Rs 5000 crore as a one-time measure directed by the Supreme Court on Tuesday. The central government articulated its stance in the Supreme Court, suggesting a disbursement of Rs 5000 crores to Kerala this month, with a corresponding reduction from next year's allocation. Additionally, the Centre urged Kerala to devise its strategies to address the financial challenges.

However, Kerala insisted on an immediate payment of Rs. 10,000 crore, contending that the Centre's approach would impinge on Kerala's borrowing rights.

Kerala, in its petition, stated that the state is reeling under a severe financial crisis and that there is a shortage of funds to disburse pensions, dearness allowance, benefits, etc. There is a situation of overdraft. Kerala also informed that they only have money to pay salaries. The court emphasized the importance of addressing Kerala's financial crisis, affirming the right of individuals to petition for solutions.

For more reliable and latest news