Kerala exploring alternatives to salary challenge

Representative of Tagore Memorial HSS, Vellora, handing over a letter of consent accepting the CM’s one-month salary challenge to District Collector Mir Muhammad Ali in Kannur on Thursday.

The State government is seriously exploring alternatives to Salary Challenge announced for employees and teachers last week.

Finance Minister T. M. Thomas Isaac said here on Friday that the Cabinet would take a call on the issue soon.

The move comes in the wake of the lukewarm response from employees and political resistance of the Congress-led United Democratic Front to the proposal. The government had appealed to donate a month's salary either as a lumpsum or in instalments to the Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund.

But a majority of the employees refused to accept the proposal and this may force the government to opt for a pay cut. The Dearness Allowance arrears of employees may be routed to the CMDRF.