The Kerala Governmenton Friday issued an order to deduct the salary of government employees for six days every month for the next five months as part of raising funds for fighting the COVID-19 pandemic in the State.The order made it clear that there will be no salary cut for those staffwho earn less than Rs 20,000 per month.The order also stated that ministers, MLAs, various Board members, Local body institution members, members of various commissions would receive 30 per cent less salary for one year.However, this order is not applicable for those who had already contributed their one monthsalary to the Chief Minister's Disaster Relief Fund (CMDRF)."The salary for six days every month would be deducted for the next five months.This would be applicable to employees of all State- owned Enterprises, Public Sector Undertakings, Quasi- Government organisations, Universities, etc in the State," the order said.The order said the state was going through a fiscal crisis as the tax collection revenue had fallen drastically."The pandemic has completely brought down the already weak economy to a standstill.The livelihood of the agriculture, industrial, unorganised sector in the state has been affected" it said.Earlier, the state cabinet on Wednesday decided to deductthe salary for six days every month for the next five months.Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had earlier said government employees and their associated organisations have expressed their willingness to contribute one month's salary to the CMDRF.Vijayan had also said the state would consider giving back the amount deducted to the employees when the financial condition of the state improved.However, there was no mention about this inthe order.
