Par panel holds discussion with Par Affairs Min on MPs salary

A Parliamentary panel, which had recommended a considerable raise in the salary and allowances of MPs, today held a discussion with the representatives of Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs amid indications that the government is willing to accept a number of its demands.
However, members remained tightlipped about what transpired in the meeting.
Parliamentary Affairs Ministry had a few months ago drafted a proposal for the Union Cabinet for its consideration with recommendations to increase the salary of an MP from Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh, constituency allowance from Rs 45,000 to Rs 90,000 and secretarial assistance plus office allowance from Rs 45,000 to Rs 90,000.

It also proposed to increase basic pension from Rs 20,000 per month to Rs 35,000.
There is also an agreement on increasing the car loan and furniture allowance for MPs.
With assembly elections in five states over, the Union Cabinet is likely to take a view on the proposal soon.

Sources said the draft has again been sent to various ministries for their comments after some new suggestions were incorporated into it.
"It will take 15-20 more days for the comments to arrive from those ministries. After which a revised draft will be prepared for the Cabinet," a source said.

Parliament will have to amend the Salary, Allowance and Pension of Members of Parliament (Amendment) Bill to give effect to these changes.
Members had been insisting that their pay and perks should be equal to that of the Cabinet Secretary.
In the panel's last meeting on February 10, several members had demanded that the Centre's proposed move to double salary and allowances of MPs be implemented fast.
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The Centre had in September last proposed to constitute a three-member Emoluments Commission to determine salary and allowances of Members of Parliament and it was endorsed at the two-day All India Whips Conference on September 29 and 30.

The proposal had come in the backdrop of a controversy over a parliamentary panel's recommendations last June to double the pay and perks of lawmakers.
The Joint Committee, headed by BJP MP Yogi Adityanath, in its meetings in May and July last year was of the opinion that there was need for an independent system or mechanism for review of salary and allowances of MPs.
The committee suggested that while considering enhancement of salary, parameters like inflation and hike in the salary of government officials should be taken into consideration.
A large number of recommendations of the committee were not approved by the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, which in its action taken report dubbed them as "not agreed" or "not accepted" against most of these recommendations without explaining reasons for non-acceptance or non-agreement.