Thiruvananthapuram: State government employees who wish to opt out of the one month's salary deduction towards flood relief, have 3 more days for giving their objection to the scheme.
As per the government order, no consent is required for the deduction, but a written request is required to be exempted from deduction. The issue has been raging among government employees, with those affiliated to anti-ruling party organizations campaigining against the mandatory deduction, and the oppositive camp of ruling parties resisting the opposition.
Things have come to such a pass that pro-LDF organizations have even come out with offers to those roping in, or ensuing, maximum number of tascit 'yes'. In several places, altercations between the two factions reached a brink of physical clashes in office premises. The pro-UDF, anti-deduction that is, point out that except for office bearers and core workers of pro-LDF organizations, their own members have given exemption request.
As per reports available, among the Secretariat staff, 150 from the Public Administration Departement, 70 from Finance and 8 from Legal Department have given signed paper of no consent. The Secretariat comprises nearly 5,000 employees.
United Teachers and Employees Federation (UTEF) owing allegiance to Oposition parties, claimed that so far 40% employees have given their No in writing. The three-day UTEF campaign for submission of the disagreement ended on Wednesday. They also said that pro-government factions are making huge pressure on employees, but more employees will file their disagreement in the coming days.
Meanwhile, there are reports about a move to deduct a share towards the flood-relief fund from pensioners. As a precursor to this, state Finance Minister Dr Thomas Isaac has called a meeting of pensioners on 22nd, where reportedly a month's pension will be demanded from them. In the Salary Challenge model, provision will also be made for payment in installments.
The government had earlier declared that through the input from government employees and pensioners, an amount of Rs 3,800 crore could be raised. The state has 5,43,864 service pensioners.