Thiruvananthapuram: The order in connection with the salary challenge of government employees has come out on Friday. According to the order, all government employees should give a minimum of five days salary to Chief Minister’s Distress Relief Fund which would be used for the rehabilitation of landslide-hit people of Wayanad. As per the order, the amount would be deducted in three instalments starting from September. In September, salary of one day would be deducted followed by deduction of salary of two days in October and November. 

Though the salary challenge is not mandatory for the employees, nobody should abstain from this, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan requested. The amount will be deducted from the salary of the employees based on a consent letter. All departments have been asked to get the consent letter from the employees. The amount collected from salary challenge would be pooled as a separate account. Salary challenge is being implemented among employees of  government, public sector, boards, universities, aided institutions, local governing bodies, commissions and tribunals. 

The latest salary challenge is different from that of the ones implemented during the time of flood in 2018 and during Covid outbreak. Discussions were held separately with each service organisation. The decision to reach a five days salary challenge was the outcome of these discussions. The pro-UDF service organisations had said that if the government would insist on compulsory salary challenge, they would protest. By taking this into consideration, the government order issued on Friday says that, the contribution towards CMDRF from the salary is not compulsory. 

At the same time, the order reminds the employees of the request of Chief Minister not to abstain from the salary challenge. Each employee would be given a consent letter in which they could also opt for higher deduction. For those who would like to give five days salary, it would be deducted in three instalments. If someone wants to contribute more than five days salary, they could do the same by opting a 10 instalments scheme. 

Employees also could be a part of the salary challenge by contributing their share from PF fund and surrendering their earned leave.