Fact check: Will Karnataka govt employees face pay cut in April

Bengaluru, Apr 29: Amid apprehensions of government employees that they would not receive salaries for April, the Karnataka Finance department issued orders ensuring that they would get it for the month.

"...Funds can be released upto 1/12th of budget provision presuming concurrence of Finance Department," an order by Secretary to Government (B&R) Finance Department Ekroop Caur, delegating financial powers for April to additional chief secretaries, principal secretaries or secretaries to government, said.

It said the order has been issued to delegate financial power for the month of April 2020.
Delegation for the subsequent period will be issued based on the developments towards end of May, it said.

Last week top government sources had told PTI that the government may spare employees salary cuts in April despite severe resources crunch following steep fall in revenue collection due to the ongoing lockdown to fight COVID-19.

Due to the prevailing situation of lockdown following COVID-19, the revenues of state government are severely constrained.

In view of this it is imperative for the government to restrict its expenditure to most essential items like salaries, pensions, social security pensions, food security and basic administrative expenditure, the order in its preamble said.

Needless to say all expenditure on fighting COVID-19 will be given utmost priority, it added.

Further, administrative departments have been asked to communicate within a week, a list of schemes if necessary, which the finance department feels need to be implemented in public interest even during the lockdown period or once it is partially relaxed.

The Finance Department would take a call on implementing such schemes by issuing separate delegation order, it added.