Preraks working under the Kerala State Literacy Mission Authority (KSLMA) are preparing to intensify their agitation raising a slew of demands including disbursement of honorarium pending for the past three months.
T. Sasikumar, State general secretary, Desiya Saksharatha Pravarthaka Union, said as many as 1,860 Preraks in the State had been denied honorarium for the past three months even despite the pandemic.
Earlier, the honorarium used to be paid by the civic bodies concerned, but the government started disbursing it to the civic bodies through the Mission in 2017, Mr. Sasikumar said. The honorarium was hiked to ₹10,200 and ₹15,000 a month for Preraks and nodal Preraks respectively that year. Since then, many a time the authority has failed to pay honorarium in time. Moreover, it fixed targets for Preraks to claim honorarium, he said.
“We get a meagre income compared to government employees. Inordinate delay in payment of honorarium will affect our lives. Hence, we are planning to start an indefinite agitation, he said.
Mr. Sasikumar also raised demands such as paying honorarium before 5th of every month, disbursing it through civic bodies, beneficiary schemes like provident fund and pension for Preraks, and adding Preraks to the health security scheme.
