30% salary cut of all Maharashtra MLAs approved for a year; COVID-19 death toll reaches 54 in Mumbai

b The Maharashtra Cabinet on Thursday (April 9) approved the proposal for a 30 percent salary cut of all state legislators and ministers for a year in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic. Notably, the decision has been taken in the wake of economic loss due to the lockdown, said Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said after chairing the Cabinet meeting.

The salary cut of the MLAs will begin from the ongoing month and will last a year, Ajit Pawar said. The cabinet also decided to nominate Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray to the Legislative Council.

The Maharashtra Cabinet also approved the constitution of two committees for assessing and formulating a revival plan for the state`s economy post the lockdown period.

The first committee will comprise of experts, including former bureaucrats and officials from the Maharashtra Finance Ministry.

The second committee will have state Ministers - Ajit Pawar (Deputy CM), Jayant Patil, Balasaheb Thorat, Chhagan Bhujbal, Ashok Chavan and Anil Parab.

According to Shiv Sena MP Rahul Shewale, a special plan has been finalised under which door to door coronavirus tests will begin in Dharavi, which oflate has witnessed several cases of COVID-19. Maharashtra Medical Council will also chip in this initiative along with 150 doctors and BMC staff.​

COVID-19 death toll has reached 54 in Mumbai, with a total of 775 positive cases. The BMC has also released the data of many previously dead patients who were found to be coronavirus positive in the investigation. A total of 9 deaths have occurred in the last four-five days.

Notably, 162 more COVID-19 cases have been reported in Maharashtra today, taking the total number of coronavirus cases in the state to 1,297, said the state Health Department.