Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) will finally disburse the long-awaited Onam bonus, but fewer than ten employees stand to benefit.

Earlier, Kerala Transport Minister KB Ganesh Kumar announced a bonus of ₹7,000 for each eligible employee, reviving the practice in the corporation after a long gap.

The announcement, made at the Transpo exhibition, was met with applause, though many staff members had expected a revision in the salary ceiling for eligibility.

At present, only employees earning up to ₹24,000 are entitled to the bonus. Of the corporation’s 22,500 permanent staff, most draw salaries above ₹35,000, making them ineligible. The management has clarified that the ceiling cannot be raised due to the corporation’s current financial limitations.

Unlike in previous years, salaries and other benefits are being distributed before the Onam holidays, which has provided some relief. A festival allowance of ₹1,000 will also be given to contract, temporary, and replacement employees.

Although the announcement stated that the bonus and allowance would be disbursed on Monday, it may take another day. The overall expenditure for this will amount to ₹4.5 crore.