After facing opposition over contribution of one month's salary of all state government officials towards the CM's Covid Relief Fund, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday came out with another proposal: six-day salary deduction in the next five months as a temporary measure for all state government employees and elected officials.This covers state ministers, MLAs, members of government boards and local self-government bodies.

"Everyone should cooperate and come to the state's help," said Vijayan.

"Even with two floods (last year and in 2018), we have been able to grow above 7%. This pandemic has badly hit the economy. We are a consumer state, solely dependent on tourism and the diaspora, both are struggling now. Our various demands and requests with the Centre have been shot down. But we have to move forward... we are getting good response from the people towards the CM Covid Relief Fund," Vijayan told media.

"The salary of Ministers, legislators and other people's representatives will be cut by 30% every month for a year," said Vijayan.

The salary deduction is temporary and  will be returned when the state's economy is back to normal, he added.

Kerala reported India's first three coronavirus cases, and that number has now reached  427. More than 300 of these people have recovered, and three have died.Positive cases across India are at 15,859, according to data provided by the central health ministry.