Thiruvananthapuram: It has been decided to distribute the welfare pension for April at the end of this month. The treasury will also be working on Good Friday and Easter to pay salaries and select election expenses.
The government has taken steps to ensure that welfare pensions and salaries reach the people before the polls. Finance Minister Thomas Isaac called a meeting of top officials in the finance ministry. The welfare pension for this month and next month, which is scheduled to be paid before Vishu, will be distributed next week. With this, adding two months’ pension, Rs 3100 will reach the people next week.
The government estimates that the increased welfare pension and the steps it will take to get it right will benefit the election. All the pre-election opinion polls suggest that the welfare pension has caused a great stir among the people. Moreover, the LDF has promised to increase the welfare pension to Rs 2,500.
Government officials will be paid an increased salary next month. To this end, the DA is adding the outstanding bills to SPARC, the payroll software. At the same time, the action was taken to fix the faults in Spark. He also requested the AG to expedite the work of revising the salaries of those in the Gazetted ranks. Steps are also being taken to revise the pensions of service pensioners and UGC teachers who receive pensions through the treasury. Efforts are being made to deliver on the first working day of April.
