The city legislators are looking ahead to a Valentine Day gift as the Delhi Cabinet is expected to take up a proposal to effect a three-fold hike in salary and perks for MLAs and ministers in a meeting on February 14. As per the Cabinet proposal, the hike in salary and perks is based on the grounds of “price rise and hike in salaries of MPs and government employees following 6th Pay Commission recommendations”.
Following objection raised by Union home ministry on earlier proposal of car loan of `8 lakhs without interest, the new offer brings it down to `4 lakhs with interest.
The Cabinet note has proposed salary of an MLA to be hiked from the current `6,000 to `20,000, and of ministers to `30,000 from `10,000. It proposes salary of the chief minister at `35,000 per month. The MPs get a salary of `50,000. The hike is proposed with effect from January 1, 2009.
However, the monthly take away of the legislators would be much higher, as the proposal seeks substantial hike in perks.
The proposal envisages a monthly house rent allowance of `10,000 for an MLAs and `25,000 for ministers to bring them at par with bureaucrats.
The Cabinet note also proposes a constituency allowance of `25,000 for an MLA and `45,000 for a minister.
The city government had recently hiked office allowance for MLAs to `25,000. They are also likely to get a stationary allowance of `5,000 a month and `2,000 for stamps.
To the cheer of MLAs, a hike in monthly conveyance allowance from `1,000 to `10,000 is also proposed, which would be same for ministers and chief minister.
The proposals also include free 20 journey each by train and air to any destination for MLAs in a year and 20,000 free telephone calls per month.
The MLAs are also proposed to get 10 kilo litre free water and 2,000 free units of electricity.