IT Desk
Imphal, April 6
In order to make sure that the country successfully fight the unseen enemy the Union government has resolved to cut down salary of MPs and Ministers.
Union minister Prakash Javdekar today said that the Union cabinet on today approved an ordinance to cut the salaries of members of parliament (MPs) by 30 percent for a year.
The decision has been made in view of the country’s fight against the coronavirus pandemic.
The cabinet has approved the ordinance amending the Salary, Allowances and Pension of Members of Parliament Act, 1954, reducing allowances and pension by 30 percent with effect form April 1, 2020 for a year.
Further, the president, vice-president and state governors have also expressed a willingness to take a salary cut of 30 percent, Javadekar said.
The government has also suspended the Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme, or MPLAD funds, for a period of two years. Rs 10 crore from each MPLAD fund will now go to the Consolidated Fund of India. The overall amount for the consolidated fund adds up to Rs 7,900 crore.
The period for MPLAD fund diversion to the Consolidated Fund of India applies for FY21 and FY22.
The PMLADS funds are used to take up developmental work in an MP’s constituency.
The decisions come a day after the country answered Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call to observe a nine-minute switch-off at 9 pm on Sunday in a unique attempt to fight coronavirus.
Coronavirus cases in India have crossed the 4,000 mark and 109 deaths have been recorded so far. Globally, total number of cases is inching close to 1.3 million mark, while the death tally has soared past 70,000.