Govt. rejects nearly 50% proposals for salary

 hike, additional perks to MPs

New Delhi: After a parliamentary panel recommended a salary hike and additional perks to members of Parliament, the government is likely to have shot down 50 per cent of the proposals. Of the 65 proposals, 33 were not accepted while three recommendations have been slated to be decided in due course. No changes were deemed for four proposals.

The joint committee is scheduled to meet again on July 13. 

A parliamentary panel headed by Bhartiya Janata Party leader Yogi Adityanath has recommended that salaries of parliamentarians should be doubled and pension for former MPs should be raised by 75%.

The joint committee had also proposed an automatic pay revision mechanism for parliamentarians like the pay commission for government employees.

"The committee has reasoned that the last revision of MPs' salary happened in 2010 and they don't get any dearness allowance like government employees," said a source.

At present, sitting MPs get a monthly salary of Rs 50,000. The panel has also recommended that the daily allowance of Rs 2,000, which they get for attending the House during Parliament sessions, should be raised substantially , sources said.

"The hike is overdue. Our daily expenses only for offering tea to visitors come to around Rs 1,000. Can we stop showing this little courtesy to voters," asked a sitting BJP lawmaker.

The panel has also recommended that former MPs should be entitled to 20-25 free domestic air trips in a year and their pension should be increased from Rs 20,000 to Rs 35,000 per month. There is another recommendation that each sitting MP should get an additional free air conditioned first class railway pass for their companion, such as private secretary. At present, only the MPs and their spouses are entitled for first class AC travel.

Read at: IBNLive