KSRTC to disburse bonus today; salary ceiling excludes most staff

Thiruvananthapuram: A ₹7,000 bonus announced for Kerala State Road Transport Corporation employees will be distributed on Monday.

Earlier, Transport Minister KB Ganesh Kumar had announced that the staff salaries for August would be credited on Sunday night, and that the festival allowance would also be paid on Monday, along with the bonus.

Despite the long-awaited announcement, most KSRTC staff will not be eligible to receive the bonus.

Bonuses are being issued in KSRTC only now, after the first Pinarayi government took office. Under the existing rules, only those earning up to ₹24,000 a month qualify for the bonus. However, it is worth noting that all permanent employees earn more than ₹35,000. With no fresh appointments in the past 9 years, there are no entry-level employees eligible. Only a few who recently rejoined after an extended leave may fall within the bonus limit. The management has not disclosed how many staff members will actually receive the bonus.

At its meeting the previous day, the governing body raised the festival allowance from ₹2,750 to ₹3,000. However, the proposal to increase the salary ceiling for bonus eligibility was not discussed. An additional ₹4.5 crore will be required to cover the revised festival allowance.