Business Standard : Apr 01, 2020, 11:45 AM
Jaipur: The Rajasthan cabinet on Tuesday decided to defer a potion of salary of the chief minister, deputy chief minister, MLAs and government employees as part of austerity measures amid the novel coronavirus pandemic in the state.In a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, it was informed that most of the industrial units and business activities in the state are closed due to the lockdown.Also, functioning in several departments related to revenue collection has also been affected. Revenue collection has reduced by Rs 17,000 crore in March.The state cabinet has decided to defer 75 per cent of the gross salary of March of the chief minister, deputy CM, ministers, assembly Speaker, leader of Opposition all MLAs, an official statement said.Sixty per cent salary for the March for officers of the All India Services, 50 per cent salary for officers and employees of state service and subordinate service and 30 per cent of the gross salary of other employees has also been deferred, it stated.Officers and employees of all categories of medical and health services, police, Class IV employees and personnel working on contract and honorarium have been exempted from salary postponement, according to the statement.The cabinet decided that 36.51-lakh below-poverty-line (BPL) beneficiaries, 25-lakh construction workers and registered street vendors who do not come under the purview of social security pension scheme would be provided an ex-gratia of Rs 1,500 instead of Rs 1,000 decided earlier.A sum of Rs 500 crore will be spent on it.Pension to 78-lakh beneficiaries for March under the social security pension in the state will start from April and the disbursement will be completed in a week.