Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala Cabinet on Wednesday decided to revise the salaries and benefits of the Kerala Public Service Commission (PSC) chairperson and members. Under the proposed revision, the chairperson’s salary will be equivalent to the maximum amount in the super time scale of district judges, while PSC members will receive a salary matching the maximum amount in the selection grade scale of district judges.

The decision was made after reviewing the pay structures of PSC chairpersons and members in other states. Currently, the chairperson receives a basic salary of ₹76,000, with total monthly earnings, including allowances, reaching ₹2.26 lakh. PSC members earn a basic salary of ₹70,000, with allowances increasing their total monthly earnings to ₹2.23 lakh. The PSC had previously requested a salary revision from the Finance Department.

Salary hike for tribunal officers
The government has also decided to revise the salaries and allowances of presiding officers in industrial tribunals. Their pay scale will now align with that of judicial officers in the subordinate judiciary.

Other key cabinet decisions
The Cabinet meeting also saw the approval of several administrative and financial decisions:

  • Kerala Real Estate Regulatory Authority: Asha Thomas IAS has been appointed as its chairperson.
  • Land titles in Kondotty, Malappuram: 23 long-term residents will be granted land titles, but the government will retain full ownership of any mineral resources in the land.
  • Textile sector relief: Kottayam Textiles and Prabhuram Mills, under the Kerala State Textile Corporation, have been granted a two-year extension on the state government’s guarantee for a ₹180-lakh working capital loan from the State Bank of India, effective from January 1, 2025.
  • Fisheries project in Ernakulam: The State Fisheries Resource Management Society will be allotted one acre of land in Puthuvaippu village at an annual lease rent of ₹1,000 for setting up an oceanarium.
  • Excise Department restructuring: The entry-level driver post in the Excise Department will be renamed.