Panaji (Goa) Several drivers and attendants employed with state government’s school buses have expressed their dissatisfaction over the meager salary paid to them.

The union representing these people who are around 900 in numbers have demanded that State Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar to increase their salaries, which are the lowest in the market.

“The drivers are paid a salary of Rs 10,000 per month while attendant is Rs 5,000 which is a peanut figure. When the schools have holidays, they are not paid for those months,” union leader Swati Kerkar told reporters today.

These buses which are commonly known as ‘Balrath’ were introduced by State government almost eight years back to address to the problem of ferrying students. 

Kerkar said that the drivers and attendants who have to work for more than 12 hours have not been given any rise by Education department which has employed them. She said that the union has been approaching state government with their request to hike the salaries and absorb them as full time government employees but there has been no response to their pleas.