Mysore/Mysuru: The KSRTC Employees Union has urged the Government to release funds for meeting the salaries of employees for the month of October, before Diwali festival.

In a press release, the Union President Mallaiah said that about 1.20 lakh employees and 25,000 contract workers are serving in the four State Transport Corporations (KSRTC, BMTC, NWKRTC and NEKRTC). 

The Government suspended bus services in March following the outbreak of the deadly COVID-19 pandemic. Though bus services resumed in June, the KSRTC is suffering huge losses due to various factors such as lack of passengers, rising fuel prices and non-full scale operations.

The Government, taking note of the plight of the employees, provided grants for payment of wages for four months.  But the employees are yet to get the wages for the month of October, which has caused concern among the employees. 

As such, the Government should immediately release funds for payment of October salaries before Deepavali, Mallaiah said and urged the Chief Minister to take serious note of the issue and sanction funds to Transport Corporations at  the earliest.