Decision to cut salary of MPs is bold, demand of time: RS Dy Chairman Harivansh

New Delhi [India], April 6 (ANI): Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh on Monday welcomed the Union Cabinet's decision to cut the salary of MPs by 30 per cent for one year to aid the fight against COVID 19.

Speaking to ANI, Harivansh said: "Decision to cut the salary of MPs by 30 per cent for one year is bold, decisive and demand of the time. Such a decision should have been taken by MPs on their own because this kind of crisis never emerged in the last 2,000 years of human history."

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

"The entire world is looking towards India and the way India handling corona crisis. We should be ready to pay the economic price of this. The population of India is more than 135 crore. The Central government has already announced an economic package of Rs 1.70 lakh crore. So, I can say this is welcome move to cut the salary of MPs," he said.

"Mahatma Gandhi always said that politics plays the lead role and when history will be written, our role will be remembered in such a situation," he added.

The Union Cabinet has approved an ordinance amending the salary, allowances and pension of Members of Parliament Act, 1954, reducing allowances and pension by 30 pc with effect from April 1, 2020, for a year.

The Cabinet also approved 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 fund for 2 years -- Rs 7900 crore -- will go to the Consolidated Fund of India.