K’taka to release salaries of 1.3L staff of state-run transport corporations

Bengaluru, Nov 16 : Karnataka on Monday finally decided to release the salaries of nearly 1.3 lakh employees working in four transport corporations run by the state, an official said.
The move came a day after children of some of the employees through video messages on social media appealed to Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa to pay the salaries so that they could celebrate festivals like others.
With the videos going viral, Yediyurappa on Monday directed the officials to release Rs 635.50 crore “immediately”.
Non-payment of salaries to nearly 1.3 lakh employees of four road transport corporations — Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporations (BMTC), North-West Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (NWKRTC) and North-East Karnataka Transport Corporations (NEKRTC) — during Diwali had caused much embarrassment to the government.
The employees had expressed disappointment over not getting their October salary and demanded advance payment of at least Rs 15,000.
The employees’ delight came on the day of Dyutapratipada, the fourth day of Diwali.