Panel proposes 316% rise in salaries of Delhi MLAs

After members of Parliament, it is the turn of members of the Delhi Assembly to get a salary hike. An expert committee appointed by the Speaker of the Delhi Assembly has proposed a 316 per cent salary increase for Delhi MLAs — from Rs 12,000 to Rs 50,000 a month.

If the rise in salaries is approved, Delhi MLAs will be the highest paid legislators in the country.

The committee has also recommended raising the constituency allowance for the MLAs from Rs 18,000 a month to Rs 50,000.

The committee on salary & allowances was chaired by  P D T Achary, former secretary general of the Lok Sabha. K V Prasad and Balraj Malik were the other members. After submitting the report to the speaker, Achary said, “The committee has recommended increasing the existing salary of MLAs from Rs 12,000 a month to Rs 50,000 a month. Also, the total salary and allowances of MLAs have been recommended to be enhanced from the present Rs 88,000 a month to Rs 2.10 lakh a month.”

Delhi Congress committee chief Ajay Maken tweeted, “It’s unfortunate that a party that calls itself Aam Aadmi Party wants a 400 per cent salary hike for MLAs.” In July this year, Delhi MLAs had demanded a salary increase, arguing they didn’t earn enough to run families and offices. Subsequently, the speaker set up a committee to study the matter.

Terming the existing allowances “grossly inadequate”, the committee has recommended a reimbursable sum of Rs 70,000 a month as allowance under the ‘secretarial, research and office assistance’ head; currently, this is Rs 30,000. An ‘office rental and related utilities’ allowance of Rs 25,000 was also recommended. The committee also suggested a communication allowance of Rs 10,000 a month. Recommending the ‘daily allowance’ of each MLA for every sitting of the House or its committees, be doubled from Rs 1,000 to Rs 2,000, the panel proposed raising the monthly conveyance allowance from Rs 6,000 to Rs 30,000 for each MLA.

Factoring in inflation, the committee also recommended a 10 per cent raise in the basic salary after every 12 months.

The one-time allowances of MLAs have also been proposed to be increased, with a one-time ‘office furnishing’ allowance of Rs 1 lakh, Rs 60,000 for purchasing office equipment and a vehicle loan of Rs 12 lakh.

The committee also recommended an increase in monthly pension from the existing Rs 7,500 to Rs 15,000 for the first term of the membership, and an additional pension of Rs 1,000 a month for every successive year, Achary said. A family pension was also recommended.

The last salary increase for MLAs was carried out in September 2011, by former chief minister Sheila Dikshit. At that time, salaries were increased 100 per cent.

MAJOR PROPOSALS

• Salary: Rs 12,000 a month to Rs 50,000
   
• Constituency allowance: Rs 18,000 to Rs 50,000
   
• Conveyance allowance: Rs 6,000 a month to Rs 30,000
   
• Communication (telephone): Rs 8,000 a month to Rs 10,000
   
• Allowance for secretarial, research and office assistance Rs 30,000 a month to Rs 70,000
   
• Daily allowance: Rs 1,000 every Assembly session to Rs 2,000