BSP welcomes Cabinet decision to cut salary of MPs by 30 pc

New Delhi [India], April 6 (ANI): Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) national spokesperson Sudhindra Bhadoria has welcomed today's Cabinet decision to cut the salary of MPs 30 by per cent for one year to aid the fight against COVID 19.

The Union Cabinet on Monday approved an ordinance amending the salary, allowance of Members of Parliament including Ministers and Prime Minister.

"This step of the government is welcomed. At this moment, the nation is going through a serious crisis of coronavirus. All our resources and all our strength has to be put in place to check the spread of the coronavirus," Bhadoria told ANI.

"I must also say that national president of Bahujan Samajwadi Party Behan Mayawati has already given a call to all party MLAs and Members of Parliament that they should contribute a large portion of their MPLAD and MLA funds for the coronavirus victims," he added.

Bhadoria further said: "I think this money, which is being collected for dealing with the coronavirus, is also spent on the poor, who need to be given the priority over others in this crisis."

Briefing media after the Cabinet meeting, Union Minister Prakash Javadekar said the Cabinet has approved the ordinance amending the salary, allowances and pension of Members of Parliament Act, 1954, reducing their salary, allowances and pension by 30 per cent.

This will be effective from April 1 for a year.

"The President, the Vice President, the Governors of the States have also voluntarily decided to take a pay cut as a social responsibility. The money will go to the Consolidated Fund of India," added Javadekar.

"As part of our social responsibilities towards our citizens, Prime Minister, Union Cabinet Ministers and every MP agreed to cut their salary by 30 per cent for a year," he said.

He also said the Union Cabinet has approved the temporary suspension of MPLAD Fund of MPs during 2020-21 and 2021-22 for managing health and the adverse impact of the outbreak of COVID-19 in India.

"The consolidated amount of MPLAD Funds for two years -- Rs 7,900 crore -- will go to the Consolidated Fund of India," he added.