The decision by Pema Khandu-led Cabinet will be effective from April 1, 2020 to March 31, 2021.(FILE)
The Arunachal Pradesh cabinet today approved an ordinance for a 30 per cent salary cut of all the ministers and members of the state legislature for a year. The deducted salaries will go to the state exchequer to fund the fight against COVID-19, caused by a novel coronavirus.
The decision by Chief Minister Pema Khandu-led Cabinet will be effective from April 1, 2020 to March 31, 2021.
The Cabinet also reviewed the preparedness of the state to contain the spread of coronavirus and efforts required to strengthen the infrastructure to tackle the situation. It also took stock of the existing and required medical equipment, including viral transport media (VTM) kits, rapid testing kits, personal protective equipment (PPE), masks, gloves etc, for health care and other workers at the frontline in the fight against coronavirus.
The Cabinet also discussed to develop a comprehensive strategy which will include containment of the highly contagious disease along with balancing the interest of the people in the state and those stranded outside due to the nationwide lockdown.
A decision on extending the 21-day lockdown, ending next week, is likely to be taken after a meeting of Prime Minister Narendra Modi with chief ministers of all states on Saturday.
The meeting comes amid the demand by several states to extend the lockdown beyond April 14 to contain the fast-spreading virus.