MPs to get hike of Rs 10K more
In a bid to placate the agitating MPs over hike in their salary, the government on Monday cleared a proposal to increase by another Rs 10,000 in their monthly allowances, which they will be getting over and above the amount announced last week.
A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting of the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, sources said, adding that the proposed additional allowance of Rs 10,000 would paid to the legislators in two equal parts under the heads — constituency expenses and office expenses.
It is learnt from the sources that finance minister Pranab Mukherjee moved the proposal for a hike in constituency and office allowances by Rs 5,000 each, which was immediately approved by the Cabinet.
“These allowances are going to be exempt from income tax,” the sources added.
The decision to further hike MPs’ emoluments came following resentment among the legislators over the increase proposed by the government last week. Last week, Union Cabinet cleared a proposal to increase an MP’s salary from Rs 16,000 per month to Rs 50,000 per month. It had also hiked the office and constituency allowances from Rs 20,000 per month each to Rs 40,000 per month each.
Even the road mileage rate for vehicles used by MPs was raised from Rs 13 per km to Rs 16 per km.
However, the MPs unhappiness arose from the rejection of the demand that the government accept the proposal of a joint parliamentary committee to hike their salaries from Rs 16,000 to Rs 80,000. The MPs want their salary be pegged at Rs 80,001, one rupee more than the salary of a secretary in the government. The Lok Sabha had witnessed uproar last week over the issue.
BJP, RJD, SP and JD-U leaders had a meeting with Mr Mukherjee on Saturday over the issue after which the government had assured them to take appropriate steps.
The meeting was attended by Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley, SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav, RJD chief Lalu Prasad and JD(U) president Sharad Yadav, who pressed for hike in the salaries of MPs to Rs 80,001 as they were not satisfied with Rs 50,000 approved a day before by the Cabinet.
Comments
MP's salary hike is a bad
G P Sharma
24 Aug 2010 - 11:53
MP's salary hike is a bad omen for Indian democracy. Most of the MP's and MLA's are not worth of what they are paid for. Most of the MP's and MLA's do not know their job even.
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