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Give up 30% of 3-month salary, Punjab government urges staffers amid Covid-19 crisis
“Grade A and B employees should contribute 30% of their monthly emoluments for April, May and June 2020 to the CM’s Relief Fund. Grade C and D should contribute 20% and 10%, respectively,” chief secretary Karan Avtar Singh secretary said.
With the state staring at a revenue loss to the tune of Rs 22,000 crore during the financial year 2020-21 because of the coronavirus pandemic, the Punjab government on Thursday urged all the state employees to contribute up to 30% of their salaries to the CM Relief Fund to help it tide over the crisis.
Chief secretary Karan Avtar Singh appealed to all government employees and those of public sector undertakings, local bodies, boards and corporations to take voluntary cuts in their pay and allowances for three months to help the state meet the unprecedented contingency.
“Grade A and B employees should contribute 30%, grade C should contribute 20% and grade D should contribute 10% of their monthly emoluments for April, May and June 2020 to the CM’s Relief Fund,” he said.
The chief secretary’s appeal came after a meeting of a cabinet sub-committee headed by chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh to take stock of the fiscal implications of the coronavirus-induced curfew in the state.
“All the ministers have also voluntarily decided to donate their full salaries for the next three months to the CM’s Relief Fund,” said an official spokesperson.
Earlier, state finance minister Manpreet Badal informed the meeting that of the Rs 88,000 crore revenue receipts estimated by the state during the financial year 2020-21, only Rs 66000 crore would now be generated in the light of the curfew/lockdown, losing revenue of Rs 22,000 crore. With GST collections to be much lower during the year and the Centre yet to clear a significant amount of the state’s pending GST arrears, things would continue to worsen in the coming months, he warned.
The spokesperson said the meeting discussed several measures to mop up revenue in the prevailing situation that was likely to continue for another couple of quarters at least. The CM also urged the committee members to look at innovative measures to tackle the crisis.
