Mumbai: The finance ministry has issued a modified circular to staff regarding contribution of one day's salary every month till March 2021 to the PM-CARES Fund.

A circular issued on 17 April had urged all the officers and staff of the finance ministry to contribute one-day's salary every month to the fund till March 2021, beginning with May salaries.

Making changes, the new circular has said those willing to donate must write to the drawing and disbursing officer of the revenue department.

The earlier circular had said those "not willing to donate" should write to the drawing and disbursing officer intimating their unwillingness to make the contribution.

In the modified circular issued on 29 April , the Department of Revenue has appealed to all the officers and staff to donate their one-day's salary to the PM-CARES Fund to fight the COVID-19 pandemic which has already taken the lives of over 1,000 people and infected more than 33,000 people in the country.

The donation running through the entire fiscal year can be made between May to next March, the circular said.

Any officer or staff "willing to contribute has to write to the drawing and disbursing officer of the revenue department," it noted.

The government has set up the Prime Minister's Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund (PM-CARES Fund) which would be utilised to deal with any emergency or distress situation such as the coronavirus outbreak.

Departments under the ministry include that of economic affairs, expenditure, revenue, financial services, and disinvestment and public asset management. Of all, the revenue department employs around 50,000 people.