AIZAWL, May 7 - All Mizoram MLAs, except five from the Congress, today decided to contribute 30 per cent of their salary from May to December, to the Chief Minister�s Relief Fund to fight against the novel coronavirus.
The decision was taken at a meeting convened by Speaker Lalrinliana Sailo and attended by members of all legislature parties, barring the Congress.
�The MLAs who attended the meeting agreed to donate 30 per cent of their basic pay to the Chief Minister�s Relief Fund,� an official source said.
Moreover, the Chief Minister will contribute Rs 20,000 and the ministers, Speaker, Deputy Speaker and Government Chief Whip will contribute Rs 15,000 every month till December to the Chief Minister�s Relief Fund.
When asked why the Congress MLAs skipped the meeting, party spokesperson Lallianchhunga said their MLAs received the invitation only on Wednesday night. �The two Congress MLAs who were in Aizawl, Zodintluanga and Lalrindika Ralte, were scheduled to visit the Mizoram-Tripura border today and the visit could not be cancelled,� he said. The three other Congress MLAs have been camping in their respective constituencies since the beginning of the lockdown
�Actually, it is the General Purpose Committee that has to decide if the MLAs should contribute part of their salary to the Chief Minister�s Relief Fund. If it does not, the Congress MLAs will later make their own decision,� he added.
Congress MLA and former minister Zodintluanga had said yesterday that the MLAs should have taken the lead in forgoing part of their salary to fight the pandemic when a similar decision was taken by government employees of Mizoram.
A meeting of representatives of 75 recognised associations of the State Government employees on Tuesday decided that Groups A, B and C employees would contribute 10 per cent of their basic pay, while Group D employees would contribute 5 per cent of their basic pay from May till December, 2020.
