Thiruvananthapuram, Sept. 1 -- The Joint Platform of Action (JPA) of Government Sector Employees' Associations today flayed Kerala Finance Minister K. N. Balagopal for his statement that 95 per cent of the state's revenue was being spent on salaries and pensions, terming it a 'blatant lie' aimed at misleading the public.
In a statement here, the JPA said the minister's claim was not borne out by official budget documents. Salary and pension expenditure, it pointed out, stood at 48.41 per cent in 2022-23, 51.56 per cent in 2023-24, and 51.59 per cent in the revised estimates for 2024-25.
"By exaggerating figures and presenting false information, the minister has attempted to turn people against employees and pensioners. This is a serious b...