In what comes as a massive good news for about 10 lakh employees in difficult times, the Gujarat government has decided to pay full salary to all its employees and pension to all pensioners for the month of April, despite a fall in revenue. Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel, who handles the finance portfolio, said the government has earmarked Rs 4,000 crore to pay salary and pension. The decision will benefit 5.28 lakh state government employees and 4.57 lakh retired pensioners. 

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"Since a majority of businesses and industries are shut due to the lockdown, we are witnessing a huge dip in the income of the state. Our income from Goods and Service Tax has more or less stopped. Same is the case with our income from petrol and diesel (value added tax)," he said adding that it will not affect salary disbursals.

"Though there is a huge dip in our revenues, we have decided to pay full salary for the month of April to our 5.28 lakh state government employees. Similarly, full pension will be paid to 4.57 lakh retired employees. This is being made possible because of our efficient (financial) management," said Patel.

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The Gujarat government will be spending Rs 2,600 crore towards salary and Rs 1,400 crore for pension for April, he said. Patel said the decision to earmark Rs 4,000 crore towards one month's salary and pension was taken on Thursday during a high-level meet.

The state remains the second-worst affected state due to COVID-19 in the country after Maharashtra. It has reported 4395 cases and 214 deaths so far.