Mumbai, Mar 31 (IANS): The Maharashtra government on Tuesday announced a stiff salary cut for March to be paid in two instalments, for all staff right from Chief Minister to ministers and legislators, cadre officers, officials and other employees in the state.

Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Ajit Pawar said that for March, the top administration and legislators would take a hefty 60 per cent pay cut.

This would include the CM, all ministers, the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Legislative Council, Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, Leader of Opposition in both houses, all legislators of both houses, heads of public corporations, local bodies and all other elected representatives.

The Class I and Class II cadre officers will take a 50 per cent salary, Class III staff will get a 25 per cent cut, while the Class IV workers have been spared of any pay cut.

All the truncated salaries will be paid in two instalments in April, as per an official notification issued by Chief Secretary Ajoy Mehta.

"This decision has been taken in consultation with all concerned, including the staff associations. Currently, the government is working with 5 per cent attendance and the decision has been taken to reduce the expenditure in view of the extraordinary situation arising out of Covid-19 pandemic," Pawar said.

In a letter to the Central government, the Deputy CM has also urged the Centre to immediately clear the state's share in taxes and pending grants to the tune of Rs 16,654 crore to tackle the crisis here.