GUWAHATI: There has been a sharp drop in revenue collection in the state because of the adversity precipitated by COVID-19 pandemic and associated lockdown, forcing Assam government to adopt some austerity measures.
Still, Assam government has decided to pay full salary to its staff in May and the payment will be made on May 8.
State Finance Minister, Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday informed that even though many other state governments in the country had already resorted to deduction of salary of their employees because of the combat against COVID-19, Assam government would pay full salary to its employees on May 8 next.
The minister, however, informed that because of sharp drop in collection of all sorts of revenue including GST, cess etc. Assam government has adopted some austerity measures to tide over the crisis for the first quarter (April to July) of financial year 2020-21 to start with.
The austerity measures include:
- Ban on executive class travel by all government officials and legislators barring the Chief Justice of Gauhati High Court, Judges of Gauhati High Court, Chief Minister and the Chief Secretary.
- Foreign travel for state government official at government expenditure has been banned.
- No officials of the state government will stay in five star hotels while on official travel.
- State government will not hold any seminar, conference, workshop during the first quarter of this financial year.
- Industrial investment reimbursement has been kept on hold for the first quarter.
- Establishment expenditure for all department has been reduced to 10% from 20 % for the first quarter.
- No administrative department will approve any development schemes without approval of the finance department except centrally aided and externally aided schemes.
- Government will not procure any new vehicle without the approval of the Chief Minister.
- There will be no allocation of fund for MLA Local Area Development for the first quarter.
- There will be 25 % reduction of salary of chairman and vice-chairman of various government PSUs, corporations etc.
- Already the Governor, the CM, minister, MLAs in the state have agreed to 30 % reduction of their salary because of the prevailing crisis.