Many states, regions, districts and cities have been put under lockdown to arrest the further spread of coronavirus. As a result of lockdown, many private offices which are not part of essential services have temporarily shut their office till further orders. Now, employees working in these private companies are sitting at home, and their biggest worry is salary. Don't worry! Modi government has issued an important advisory in this regard. 

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The Ministry of Labour and Employment has 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.

Meanwhile, the Finance Ministry's Department of Expenditure on Monday announced that all contractual worker in such departments would receive their full pay during the lockdown period in several states amid the coronavirus crisis. The instruction shall be in force till April 30, said an official memorandum by the Department of Expenditure.

On duty: Full salary

In a tweet, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that due to isolation measures to contain the spread of novel coronavirus, several contractual workers may be unable to attend work, and the Finance Ministry has issued orders to declare this period as "on duty" and wages will 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 (1/2)," 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.