Thiruvananthapuram: Normal life was affected in almost all parts of Kerala on Thursday due to the nationwide strike called by several trade unions in protest against the Centre's economic policies.

The 24-hour bandh called by a joint committee of the central trade unions began at 12 am on Thursday. Shops have downed shutters and banking functions have come to a halt. Buses including KSRTC are keeping off the road.

A day-long strike has been called for by a joint platform of ten central trade unions, including Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC), All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS), Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), All India United Trade Union Centre (AIUTUC), Trade Union Co-ordination Centre (TUCC) and Self-Employed Women's Association (SEWA). Others are All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU), Labour Progressive Federation (LPF) and United Trade Union Congress (UTUC).

In Kerala, auto and taxi drivers have decided to keep off the roads. The federations of railway and defence employees have decided to have large mobilisation on Thursday to express solidarity with the striking workers.

The demands of the joint platform include cash transfer of Rs 7,500 per month to all non-income tax paying families and 10 kilograms of free ration to every needy person per month.

The unions have also demanded expansion of MGNREGA, the rural employment guarantee scheme, to provide 200 days' work in a year in rural areas at enhanced wages and also extension of the employment guarantee to urban areas.

They have also asked the government to withdraw all "anti-farmer laws and anti-worker labour codes and stop privatisation of public sector, including the financial sector and stop corporatisation of government-run manufacturing and service entities like railways, ordinance factories, ports etc".

Among other demands, the unions have sought withdrawal of the "draconian circular on forced premature retirement of government and PSU employees".

Other demands of the unions include 'pension to all', scrapping NPS (National Pension System) and restoration of earlier pension with improvement in EPS-95 (Employees' Pension Scheme-1995 run by retirement fund body EPFO).

(With inputs from PTI)