The Andhra Pradesh government late on Tuesday 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 combat coronavirus.
The deferments will range from 10 to 100 percent 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.
"There shall be 100 percent 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 percent 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 percent of their salaries, with only a 10 percent 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.
Andhra Pradesh saw a jump in the number of coronavirus cases with 17 testing positive since Monday night, taking the overall tally to 40, the Medical and Health Department said.
As many as 14 of the 17 new patients had attended the Jamat congregation in Nizamuddin area of New Delhi between March 13 and 15.
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