Thiruvananthapuram: In the wake of the tragedy in Wayanad, the government is planning to hold a salary challenge from the government employees. Unlike in the past, the effort is to avoid unilateral declaration and to create unity of opinion with all organisations. For this, the Chief Minister held separate discussions with the leaders of the ruling and opposition service organisations.

A consensus was sought by calling the leaders of each organisation separately. Salary challenge was conducted by government employees during the flood phase and during the spread of Covid. At that time, the government adopted the method of announcing the unilateral decision in a strict manner, leading to fierce opposition.

The government is yet to pay about 21 percent of the DA. There are other benefits, including leave surrender, which are also to be paid to the employees by the government. Leaders of opposition unions informed the Chief Minister that the government has to pay about Rs 50,000 crore. They put forward a proposal that if a part of the same is allocated to the Chief Minister’s Disaster Relief Fund, then it will not be a financial burden for the employees. 

All the organisation leaders unanimously took a positive stance to help Wayanad.