Thiruvananthapuram: Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s call to Malayalis urging them to donate a month’s salary to rebuild
Kerala has been welcomed by
Governor P Sathasivam. The Governor handed over a cheque of an amount equivalent to his salary to the state chief secretary, on Monday.
The Governor also urged everyone to accept the request made by the chief minister and generously contribute their salaries to the Kerala Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund (CMDRF). “I hereby appeal to people holding high offices in Kerala to contribute a month’s salary towards rebuilding Kerala,” said the Governor.
The Governor was flowed by state director general of police Loknath Behra who also decided to contribute his one-month salary to the CMDRF. He also appealed to his IPS colleagues to donate their salaries to the CMDRF. Excise commissioner Rishi Raj Singh immediately announced that he would pay his one month’s salary to the distress fund.
Most of the personal staff members of the minister, including that of the chief minister, have decided to contribute their one month’s salary, it is learnt. Several ministers had already announced that they would be contributing a month’s salary to the CMDRF even before the request from the chief minister came.
The oppositions MLAs have also come out in support for the chief minister’s request with Thiruvanchur Radhakrishnan and Anwar Sadath immediately announcing their willingness to contribute their salaries to the distress fund. Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala had previously given his one-month salary to the fund.
There has also been a huge response to the chief minister’s request from the bureaucrats. Kochi Metro managing director Mohammad Haneesh, general education secretary A Shajahan and director of public instructions K V Mohan Kumar were among those who have assured of their contributions of a month’s salary.
The secretariat employees’ association has also urged its members to donate their salaries to the CMDRF.
