Govt employees assured of April salaries, pensions

Amidst uncertainty over payment of salaries and pensions to government employees, the Finance Department issued an order Tuesday ensuring the same.

According to the order by Finance Secretary (Budget & Resources) Ekroop Caur, the government has delegated financial powers for the month of April to additional chief secretaries, principal secretaries or secretaries, allowing "upto 1/12th of budget provision presuming concurrence of Finance Department" for payment of salaries.

"Salary shall be drawn only for the month of April 2020 – from the amount made available to departments. Treasuries shall ensure that no arrears of salaries shall be without prior concurrence of the Finance department. If salary for the month of March has not been drawn yet Administrative Department (AD) is allowed to draw it," the order said.

The order came after the CM held informal discussion with the chief secretary and senior officials of the Finance Department over the issue. While there was a proposal to deduct salaries of government employees, Yediyurappa had reportedly opposed the same.

The Finance Department also sought a list of schemes from various ADs of schemes that need to be implemented in public the interest even during the lockdown."The Finance Department would take a call on the implementation of such schemes by issuing separate delegation (of financial powers) order."

While delegation of financial power orders are issued quarterly, the lockdown has forced the government to regulate its expenditure and issue such orders on a monthly basis.