Uttar Pradesh legislators on Thursday unanimously passed a bill that paves the way for a steep hike in their salaries and allowances. The bill also allows a hike in the pension of former MLAs.
Uttar Pradesh legislators on Thursday unanimously passed a bill that paves the way for a steep hike in their salaries and allowances. The bill also allows a hike in the pension of former MLAs.
The monthly package of an MLA will be increased from the existing Rs 1.17 lakh to Rs 1.87 lakh — an increase of almost Rs 70,000.
The Uttar Pradesh State Legislature (Members’ Emoluments and Pension) (Amendment) Bill-2016 provides for an increase in the basic salary of MLAs from Rs 10,000 to Rs 25,000 apart from increasing other allowances.
Similarly, the pension of former MLAs has been increased from Rs 10,000 to Rs 25,000 with an annual hike of Rs 2,000.
The bill proposes to increase the constituency allowance of sitting MLAs from Rs 30,000 to Rs 50,000, whereas benefits for travel would be increased from Rs 3.25 lakh to Rs 4.25 lakh, of which up to Rs 25,000 can be availed every month instead of the earlier Rs 18,000 for their private vehicles.
Earlier, family members were allowed to travel with the MLAs, but the new bill also allows a companion.
For former MLAs, the bill proposes to increase the limit of travel allowance from Rs 80,000 to Rs 1 lakh annually.
The bill also set an upper limit of Rs 50,000 for former legislators to avail the benefit of getting paid in cash out of their railway coupons.
The Statement of Objects and Reasons of the bill, moved by state parliamentary affairs minister Azam Khan, stated, “In view of price rise and increase of responsibilities, it has been decided to amend the said Act to revise, pay, allowances, railway coupons and other amenities admissible to the members of the state legislature and to increase pension and railways coupons admissible to the members of state legislature and to give facility of cash payment out of the coupons admissible to them.”
The bill also added that spouses of ex-members of the Assembly are entitled to get family pension under the existing Act of 1980.
The state government has also announced an increase in the allowances of the house staff and guards.
