The salary challenge mooted by the Kerala government, seeking a contribution to the Chief Minister’s Distress Relief Fund (CMDRF) to tide over the crisis triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic, has evoked a mixed response. However, a migrant worker from Rajasthan, not deterred by the arguments for and against the salary challenge, has contributed Rs 5000 to the CMDRF.  

Vinod Jangid handed over the money to the CMDRF at the Neeleswaram police station in Kasaragod on Wednesday evening. 

Vinod Jangid hails from Bharatpur district in Rajasthan and is a tile worker. The 22-year old has been living in the northern district for several years now, along with other migrant workers from the state.

According to a report by MP Praveen of the Hindu Vinod chose to hand over the money to police since he felt that it was the most trustworthy route to ensure that the money reached where it was intended. The story quotes him saying that he feels that he was also part of the land now and happy with the government measures for the well-being of them.

 “He didn’t know where else to give the money, he doesn’t know how to access the account number of the CMDRF. For him, a police station is the nearest representation of a government,” a police official at the Neeleswaram police station told TNM.

The police have transferred the money to CMDRF. 

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has urged government employees and teachers to contribute a month’s salary to the CMDRF.

The Opposition, however, has termed it as a unilateral decision of the Cabinet. Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala stated that he had no trust that the government would use the endowments received by the CMDRF exclusively for fighting the pandemic situation.

It was in 2018 that the state government first came out with the salary challenge post the devastating floods.