The Assam Cabinet on Tuesday decided to cut the salaries of the ministers and MLAs by 30% for one year to manage the situation arising out of COVID19.
The decision comes a day after the Union Cabinet decided to cut the salaries of all the MPs including the Union ministers by 30% for one year.
The decision was taken during a meeting of the Assam Council of Ministers chaired by chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Tuesday.
Informing about the decision of the Assam Cabinet, the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) on its Twitter handle said, “Assam Council of Ministers chaired by CM Shri @sarbanandsonwal decided to deduct salaries of Ministers and MLAs by 30% for 1 year for managing #COVID2019.”
Assam Council of Ministers chaired by CM Shri @sarbanandsonwal decided to deduct salaries of Ministers and MLAs by 30% for 1 year for managing #COVID2019.
— Chief Minister Assam (@CMOfficeAssam) April 7, 2020
The Cabinet also decided to add 50 more beneficiaries per Gaon Panchayat to avail of the Rs 1,000 one-time assistance scheme.
The CMO tweeted: “The Council of Ministers has decided to add 50 more beneficiaries per GP for the ? 1,000 one-time assistance scheme to poor non NFSA card holders. No Panchayat representative or their family members will be included in the beneficiary list.”
The Council of Ministers also decided to extend the “special health insurance coverage of Rs 50 lakh for those fighting COVID2019 at the frontlines to Government & PSU employees as well as employees of private hospitals who have signed MoU with Assam government”.
Also read: COVID19 impact: Union Cabinet cuts MPs’ salary by 30% for 1 year
Informing about the Union Cabinet’s decision, Union minister Prakash Javadekar on Monday said: “The Union Cabinet has approved the ordinance amending the salary, allowances and pension of Members of Parliament Act, 1954, to reduce allowances and pension by 30% from April 1 for a year.”
He also said: “The President, Vice President and Governors of State have voluntarily decided to take a pay cut as a social responsibility. The money will go to Consolidated Fund of India.”