Hyderabad: The Telangana government on Monday announced drastic cuts – ranging from a minimum 10% to a maximum 75% - in the monthly salaries of all its employees and public representatives, citing the impact of Covid-19 on the state’s finances.
A decision to the effect was taken at a high-level meeting convened by chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao at his camp office, Pragati Bhavan, to review the state’s financial position, which has turned precarious because of a fall in the state’s revenues and also in the devolution of funds from the Centre.
A statement from the chief minister’s office announced a 75% cut in the salaries of the chief minister, his cabinet colleagues, members of the legislative assembly and members of the legislative council, the chairpersons of various state-level corporations and representatives of urban and rural local bodies.
Salaries of Indian Administrative Service, Indian Police Service and Indian Forest Service officers will be reduced by 60%. State government employees like teachers, gazetted and non-gazetted officers face a 50% pay cut.
“However, in case of Class IV employees like peons, sweepers and drivers, and also outsourced and contract employees, the salary cut would be restricted to 10%,” the statement said.
{{/usCountry}}“However, in case of Class IV employees like peons, sweepers and drivers, and also outsourced and contract employees, the salary cut would be restricted to 10%,” the statement said.
{{/usCountry}}Even retired employees of the state government have not been spared; their pensions will be cut. While all other categories of retired employees face a 50% cut in their pensions, retired Class IV employees would get 10% less.
Similar salary cuts would be imposed in the case of employees working in all public sector undertakings and those operating with government grants-in-aid, the statement said.