30% pay cut of the government employees for 1 year
The Union Cabinet was held on Monday and was chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He cleared an ordinance to cut the salaries of parliamentarians and ministers by 30 percent for one year due to the wake of coronavirus crisis.
The cabinet also says that “to suspend the MP local area development scheme for two years and transfer the money into the government’s consolidated fund. The money under MPLADS is around Rs 7,900 crore for two years: 2020-21 and 2021-22”.
Prakash Javedkar, Union information, and the broadcasting minister told the media that, “President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice President Venkaiah Naidu and governors had also offered to take the 30 percent cut in salaries. The Cabinet has approved the ordinance amending the salary, allowances, and pension of Members of Parliament Act, 1954, reducing their salary, allowances, and pension by 30 percent. This will be effective from April 1 for a year”.
This decision has come an hour after the PM Modi told the BJP workers to prepare for a long haul. The country and the people can’t afford to get tired and rest in this war. Javedkar also told that this is a landmark decision that sends the right signals.
As charity begins at home therefore, more than the money, the importance of the gesture was to send the right message. The minister has explained that an ordinance was required since the salaries of MPs and other dignitaries were determined by law. Other than this most of the state government had decided a salary cut and other measures in the fight against the coronavirus.
Kerala government has also decided on Wednesday to cut a month’s salary of all its staff to raise funds for the state disaster relief fund. Along with this, the Chief Minister of Karnataka, BS Yediyurappa has given up his 1 year’s salary to help the state to fight the Covid-19 crisis. Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, and Rajasthan have also announced a cut in salaries of their government employees depending on the rank.
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