Independent panel recommends four-time hike in pay for Delhi MLAs

Members of Delhi’s legislative assembly may soon get a four-fold hike in their salary, as reported by NDTV.

The independent panel recommended Delhi MLAs salary to be increased to 50,000 from the current 12,000, ANI reported.

The last salary revision was done in 2011, when the Congress government led by then Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit gave itself a 100% hike.

“Keeping in view the cost of living in Delhi and given the fact that there is no provision being made for housing allowance or for reimbursement of bills for amenities such as electricity and water, the committee recommends that the salary be raised from the present level of Rs12,000 per month to Rs50,000 per month”, according to the recommendations made by the committee.

MLAs of ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) raised the salary hike demand first time in July this year, right after 5 months of forming the government in the national capital.

It has also recommended for a conveyance hike from Rs. 6,000 to Rs. 30,000. Office rent allowance will be pushed upto Rs 25,000 and office help allowance will be provided to the tune of Rs 70,000. Overall, the hike recommended has been over 250 percent.

The one-time allowances of MLAs have also been recommended to be increased significantly with one time “office furnishing” allowance of Rs 1 lakh, Rs 60,000 for purchasing office equipment and a vehicle loan of Rs 12 lakh, which is Rs 4 lakh at present.

The recommendations also include a maximum reimbursable travel allowance of Rs 3 lakh per annum for each MLA and his dependants by air, rail, road or steamer.

With the opinion divided, the matter was referred to a select committee, since the lawmakers’ body had decided that it would be inappropriate on part of legislators to decide on their pay structure on their own. Also, it said there is no need to provide MLAs with either rent-free official accommodation or house rent allowance, which is standard practice in every legislature in the country, he said.