Opposition outfits want employees to decide amount for salary challenge

Thiruvananthapuram: The State Employees and Teachers Organisation (SETO), a collective of pro-UDF employees organisations, has expressed strong opposition to the state government's recent order requiring employees to donate a minimum of five days salary to the Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund (CMDRF).

SETO's State Committee has suggested that employees and teachers should be given the option to contribute according to their financial capacity rather than being asked to pay the specified minimum of five days salary. The organization has called for the order to be amended to allow employees to decide the amount they wish to contribute.

Under existing laws, compulsory salary deductions by employers are not permitted. SETO has announced that its members will participate actively in relief operations through a separate fund designated for this purpose.

The state government had issued an order on Saturday directing all government employees contribute at least five days salary to the Chief Minister's Relief Fund. Although the Chief Minister has emphasized that contributions are not mandatory, he has encouraged all employees to participate. The fund applies to employees across all government and government-aided institutions.