Karnataka CM, ministers to donate salary for Covid-19

Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa and 32 other ministers in his Cabinet will forego their salary for one year, which will be donated to the Covid-19 relief fund.

The Department of Personnel & Administrative Reforms (DPAR) has issued this order based on Yediyurappa’s direction. The donation is with effect from May 1.

The salary money will be used for relief measures and other efforts to combat the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, which has wreaked havoc.

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Last year, too, Yediyurappa donated a year’s salary towards containment and management of Covid-19. His monthly salary is Rs 50,000.

All emoluments drawn by a chief minister are the same for Cabinet-rank ministers, according to the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO).

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Besides salary, the CM and Cabinet ministers get a sumptuary allowance of Rs 3 lakh, house rent of Rs 1 lakh, fuel allowance for up to 1,000 litres, conveyance allowance of Rs 30 per km, Rs 10 lakh for purchase of furniture, vehicle facility with a limit of Rs 21 lakh, free telephone connection at home and office, daily tour and dearness allowance of Rs 2,000 within the state and Rs 2,500 for outside among other things.

Karnataka has announced a lockdown till May 24, in which period the government has decided to provide free meals to labourers and other urban poor at state-run Indira Canteens.

Yediyurappa is under pressure to announce a special economic package to help those who have lost livelihoods because of the lockdown.