COVID-19: Guj to bring bill on salary cut of MLAs, ministers

The Gujarat government has Decided to bring a bill in the upcoming session of the state assembly to cut down the salaries of MLAs and ministers by 30 per cent for one year due to COVID-19 pandemic.

The decision to bring this bill, which will replace an ordinance, was taken in the state cabinet meeting held on Wednesday. However, the schedule of the assembly session is yet to be announced.

"The announcement about slashing the salaries of MLAs, ministers and chief minister was made earlier. The cabinet had then issued an ordinance that elected representatives will be paid 30 per cent less salaries due to the coronavirus pandemic from April 2020 to March 2021," Gujarat Minister of State for Home Pradeepsinh Jadeja told reporters.

"Now, as this move is required to be cleared by the state assembly, the cabinet today decided to bring a bill in the next assembly session," he said.

The state government will save Rs 6.27 crore by reduction in salaries of elected representatives. This money will be used in the fight against coronavirus, he said.

Jadeja, however, said that the state government is yet to decide on the date of the commencement of the monsoon session of the assembly.

As per the rules, the state assembly has to be convened before the completion of six months of its last session.

The last session was held in March, just before the coronavirus-induced lockdown was announced.

The state government also decided to cut 30 per cent salaries of those employees who have been retained in government services on contracts after retirement.