A three member panel has recommended a 400% hike in the basic salary and allowances of the Delhi MLAs. Chaired by former Secretary General of Lok Sabha PDT Achary, the committee has submitted a report with the Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel, favouring an increase in the basic salary from Rs. 12,000 to Rs. 50,000.
Mr. Achary said: “The committee has recommended increasing the existing salary of MLAs from Rs. 12,000 per month to Rs. 50,000 per month. Also, total salary and allowances of MLAs have been recommended to be enhanced from the present Rs. 88,000 per month to Rs. 2.10 lakh per month,” He further added that the recommendations had been made keeping the job profiles of the MLAs as well the constitutional provisions. The committee agreed that the current amount was grossly inadequate. If the recommendations are accepted, then the Delhi MLAs will see a whopping 2 1/2 fold hike in their salaries. The report will be put before the Assembly’s Committee of Salary and Allowances for consideration. Thereafter, the government will consider it and, if accepted, come up with a Bill.
A disgruntled group of AAP legislators had raised the demand for a significant hike in salary, citing the inflation and arguing that their income was not enough to fend for family and office.
The Recommendations
- The basic salary will be increased from Rs. 12,000 to Rs. 15,000.
- A 10 percent hike in the basic salary, Rs. 5,000 per month, after every 12 months, from the date on which new salary and allowances come into force.
- The constituency allowance will be hiked from current Rs. 18,000 to Rs. 50,000.
- Reimbursable allowance under ‘Secretarial, Research and Office Assistance’ has been proposed to be increased from Rs. 30,000 to Rs. 70,000.
- A new head with the title ‘office rental and related utilities’ allowance has been included with a proposed sum of Rs. 25,000 per month.
- Communication allowance of Rs. 10,000 per month has been proposed.
- The proposal also caters for Conveyance Allowance at Rs. 30,000 per month.
- It has been recommended that the Daily Allowance during every sitting of the House or its committees be increased from Rs. 1,000 to Rs. 2,000.
- The one-time allowances of MLAs have also been recommended to be increased significantly with one time ‘office furnishing’ allowance of Rs. 1 lakh and Rs. 60,000 for purchasing office equipment.
- The vehicle loan of Rs. 4 lakh is proposed to be increased to Rs. 12 lakh.
- A hike in monthly pension from the existing Rs. 7,500 to Rs. 15,000 per month for first term of membership and an additional pension of Rs. 1,000 per month for every successive year of membership beyond the first term.
- The family pension has been recommended at 50 percent of the pension being paid to a deceased member or an ex-member.
The committee is of opinion that there is no need for additional provision like domestic consumption of power and water, or rent-free official accommodation and house rent allowance, once the proposal for the salary hike is accepted.
The MLAs’ salary was last increased by 100 percent in September 2011 by the then Sheila Dikshit government, citing inflation and the rise in the cost of living cost.
BJP Questions AAP Priorities
The BJP, which has three MLAs in Delhi, has opposed the said hike. Delhi BJP Chief Satish Upadhyay on Tuesday questioned the priority of AAP following the recommendations. According to them, instead of prioritising issues like tackling dengue, price rise of the commodities, contractual employee problem, etc., AAP was intent on converting to “Khaas Aadmi Party”. In the words of Vijender Gupta, one of the three BJP lawmakers, “With its unlimited generosity in the matter of pay and allowances for Delhi MLAs, the Aam Aadmi Party Government has become ‘Khas’ Aadmi Party.” The allegations of BJP against AAP are as follows:
- While they do not have enough funds to pay the MCD employees for Swacch Bharat Abhiyan, they have recommended a 400% hike in salary of the MLAs.
- The living conditions of the common man has not improved in the last seven months of the AAP’s rule, while the MLAs are all set to receive cars, big offices and four times the salary.
- The BJP alleged that AAP is showing its true colours and there is a huge gap between their promises and actions taken to fulfil the promises.
Though the Congress has not won a single seat in this year’s Delhi Elections, a large contingent of Congress Youth Wing also protested against the salary hike in front of CM Kejriwal’s residence.
The Delhi Government’s Stand
The Delhi government is yet to comment on the proposal. However, there are two schools of thought even among the AAP members. AAP’s Ashutosh, who is not a lawmaker, tweeted, “For an honest MLA of any party, it’s impossible to sustain family/run constituency office in meagre salary. Dishonest don’t need salary.” Some AAP leaders have reportedly objected to the hike. According to the ones who object, the salary hike is not right in a scenario where there is rampant poverty in the country.
Though Kejriwal has not yet commented on the said hike, he is being reminded of how he had taunted politicians during the Jan Lokpal bill movement. Kejriwal said that while the politicians were ever ready to accept pay hike, they had difficulty in agreeing to the Lokpal bill.
Conclusion
The salary hike proposition comes at a time when farmers are committing suicide out of gross poverty and there is not improvement in the BPL percentage of the nation. The leaders of the nation have to first consider the requirements of the citizens before they go about living in the lap of luxury.
AAP govt clears salary hike for MLAs
The Delhi Assembly on Thursday sanctioned the Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Government of NCT of Delhi (Salaries, Allowances, Pension) Amendment Bill 2015 that calls for a 400 per cent pay hike for MLAs and ministers. The bill will now be sent to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) for final approval.
Once the bill gets stamped by the Home Ministry, the monthly package of MLAs will increase to Rs 2.10 lakh per month from the present Rs 88,000. Their annual travelling allowance will increase to Rs 3 lakh per year which can be used for foreign trips as well.
