Thiruvananthapuram: Even as the government is grappling with a severe financial crisis, there is both joy and surprise among some employees at the Secretariat, including the Chief Minister’s Office and four ministerial offices, as they received their September salaries five days early. The reason for the early salary disbursement is, however, a clerical error in the Secretariat Treasury.

Salaries are usually due from the first of the month. However, the salaries were credited to accounts on Thursday evening. Generally, the salary bill is prepared from the 26th of the previous month, and it is passed to be sent to accounts on the first of the following month. Meanwhile, some salary bills in the Secretariat Treasury were accidentally processed on Thursday itself.

It is reported that many employees withdrew the money or transferred it to other accounts immediately. There were concerns about whether the money could be recovered after realising the mistake. Treasury officials halted the salary distribution as soon as they recognised the error.

Amid worries that the financial crisis might delay salary payments, employees were surprised to receive their salaries five days early for the first time in history. The Finance Department has initiated an inquiry into this serious mistake, and actions against the Treasury officials may be forthcoming.