Maharashtra is the worst-afflicted point out with 1.93 lakh COVID-19 cases (File)

Mumbai:

A reportedly income-strapped Maharashtra federal government has cleared the purchase of six luxurious vehicles for ministers, deputies and senior officers of the sporting activities and instruction departments at a full price of Rs 1.37 crore.

Just about every car or truck – a Toyota Innova Crysta – prices Rs 22.8 lakh and the obtain has been greenlit by each the finance department and Main Minister Uddhav Thackeray.

This arrives two times right after Vijay Wadettiwar, a cabinet minister in charge of aid and rehabilitation, explained the point out would have to choose out a mortgage to pay back the salaries of federal government workforce.

“Situation of the point out is such that we will have to acquire a financial loan to pay back salaries of federal government employees subsequent thirty day period. Except for 3-4 departments, charges have been slice,” he reported this week.

Mr Wadettiwar blamed the centre for the absence of cash but also stated “there is no cash crunch for dealing with COVID-19 problem in the state”.

In March the governing administration reported senior officials, such as ministers and other elected associates, would be compensated only 40 for each cent of their month-to-month wage, with the rest due around two instalments.

The point out government’s decision to commit Rs 1.37 crore on luxury cars at this sensitive time has been criticised by the opposition BJP.

“This Maharashtra federal government hasn’t supported their people. They haven’t safeguarded the police, who are frontline warriors and they can’t pay the salaries of their workforce. But they have money to invest in luxurious cars and trucks for their ministers,” the BJP’s Ram Kadam said.

“We ask for the government to return wage cuts and offer an economic package deal,” he added.

Maharashtra, which makes the best industrial contribution to the place, has been having difficulties considering the fact that lockdown was imposed.

On the other hand, Chief Minister Thackeray’s governing administration is established to indication 12 contracts with overseas corporations truly worth a total of Rs 16,000 crore, in a bid to jump-start out the condition financial state.

Maharashtra is also the condition worst-influenced by the COVID-19 outbreak, with 1.93 lakh verified circumstances, including 8,376 deaths. Across India the quantity of confirmed instances is nearing 6.5 lakh, with 18,655 deaths linked to the novel coronavirus.

With enter from ANI