KOCHI: The Kerala High Court approved the directive regarding the distribution of benefits to the retired KSRTC employees and ordered that a pension benefit of Rs one lakh be paid by March 30. The court also directed that priority should be given to the distribution of further benefits. The interim order was issued by revising the order to distribute the pension benefit before February 28.

Priority should be given for the marriage of children and hospital needs. A decision should be taken within two weeks if the eligibles write to the managing director. The corpus fund should be restored in April. The high court also said that if the funds come, the rest should be paid as early as possible. The plea will be considered again on March 31.

The high court accepted the proposal of KSRTC regarding the distribution of benefits to the retirees. The court accepted the proposal to pay Rs one lakh within 45 days. The court observed that non-payment of benefits to retirees is a violation of human rights and that the court has to intervene.The KSRTC has a loan of Rs 3200 crore and reported to the court. KSRTC said they need Rs 8 crore only to provide 50 percent benefits to the petitioners. The court ordered that 10 percent be set aside for distribution of benefits to retirees. The court asked with whose permission it was stopped. KSRTC later said that it will be set aside from April 1. The court directed that this should be done compulsorily from March itself. After this, the court accepted the claim of KSRTC that Rs 1 lakh will be paid in 45 days.