India, April 18 -- Moving toward a policy of financial prudence, the Himachal Pradesh government on Saturday issued a formal notification regarding the temporary deferment of salaries for the chief minister, cabinet ministers, and members of the legislative assembly (MLAs) for six months.

Chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, who announced the deferment during his annual budget presentation, described the state's economic situation as one of "extraordinary financial challenges."

According to the official notification, the deferment follows a tiered structure: 50% of the chief minister's salary will be withheld, while the deputy chief minister, cabinet ministers, Speaker, and deputy Speaker will see a 30% deferment. For all other MLAs, ...