Andhra Pradesh defers salaries of CM, govt staff to help combat COVID-19

The Andhra Pradesh government late on Tuesday (March 31) night announced deferment of payment of full salaries to the chief minister, officers and employees, saying its revenue streams have “totally dried up” in view of the ongoing lockdown to fight the novel coronavirus.

The deferments will range from 10 to 100 per cent for different categories of employees, it said.

In an order issued around midnight, Chief Secretary Nilam Sawhney said the deferment will continue to be in force till further orders.

“While the revenue streams have totally dried up due to the lockdown, the demand on state resources has increased tremendously for contact tracing, quarantining, providing personal protection equipment, drugs, health facilities, etc. and for providing financial assistance to the poor people, most affected by the lockdown,” he said.

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“There shall be 100 per cent deferment in respect of Chief Minister, Ministers, MLCs, MLAs chairpersons and members (political appointees) of all government-owned corporations, elected representatives of all local bodies and people holding equivalent posts,” the order stated.

All India Services officers (IAS, IPS and IFS) will see a 60 per cent deferment in their salaries, while all other employees will get only 50 per cent of their pay, it said.

Class-IV employees, outsourced and contractual staff and the newly employed village and ward secretariat staff will be paid 90 per cent of their salaries, with only a 10 per cent deferment, it added.

According to the order, the deferments will be applicable to pensions and honorariums as well.

Besides, serving and retired employees of all PSUs, government-aided institutions, universities and autonomous bodies would get only proportionate deferred payments, it stated.