Centre Announces No Pay Cut For Govt Contract Workers During Lockdown

NEW DELHI: A major relief has come in the way of outsourced professionals and contractual workers in central government offices, ministries and departments, the Finance Ministry's Department of Expenditure on Monday announced that every contractual worker in such departments would receive their full pay during the lockdown period in several states amid the deadly coronavirus outbreak.

The instruction shall be effective till April 30, said a politician memorandum by the Department of Expenditure.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in a tweet, said that in view of isolation measures to contain the spread of novel coronavirus, several contractual workers could also be unable to attend work, and therefore the Finance Ministry has issued orders to declare this era as "on duty" and wages are going to be paid accordingly.

"Due to social distancing and isolation measures to contain the spread of COVID19, there is a likelihood of number of contractual labour & outsourced staff working for Govt of India being unable to attend work, resulting in deduction in wages, thus causing hardship to them," she said.

"The @FinMinIndia has issued orders to declare this period as 'on duty' and wages paid accordingly. (2/2) #IndiaFightsCorona," the minister said in a second tweet.

The office memorandum issued by the Department of Expenditure said that the instruction shall also apply to subordinate offices and statutory bodies of the Central government.

Earlier in the day, the Ministry of Labour and Employment advised private companies and entities to desist from job cuts or pay cuts during these troubled times.

"If any worker takes leave, he should be deemed to be on duty without any consequential deduction in wages for this period," the ministry said in a statement.