Thu Feb 20 08:00:50 UTC 2025: ## Kerala Opposition Slams Salary Hike for PSC Members Amidst Financial Crisis
**Thiruvananthapuram, February 20, 2025** – The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) in Kerala has strongly criticized the state government’s decision to increase the salaries of Public Service Commission (PSC) members and allowances for the Special Representative in New Delhi. Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan denounced the move as a wasteful expenditure on political appointees while the state grapples with a severe financial crisis.
Mr. Satheesan highlighted Kerala’s crippling debt, declining tax revenue, and low economic growth. He pointed out the irony of the salary hikes while the state treasury struggles to pay even the minimal honorarium owed to ASHA workers, who are currently staging an indefinite protest outside the Secretariat demanding a raise in their ₹7000 monthly payment. These workers, he emphasized, often work 12-hour days.
The Opposition leader expressed solidarity with the ASHA workers, characterizing their protest as a symbol of the LDF government’s disregard for ordinary citizens. He further stated that a backlog of social welfare pensions for 62 lakh economically disadvantaged individuals remains unpaid, and civic works have stalled due to the state’s financial constraints.
Mr. Satheesan argued that the government lacks the ethical justification for the substantial salary increases for PSC members given the prevailing financial hardship faced by the state and its citizens. He called the situation unacceptable and demanded a reconsideration of the government’s decision.
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