Haryana MLAs exhibit drive, salary up by 60%

Pradeep Sharma

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 31 

On the last day of the monsoon session of the Vidhan Sabha, the Haryana legislators today unanimously voted for themselves a hefty pay hike — over 60 per cent —which will take their monthly salary to Rs 1.5 lakh from the current Rs 95,000. The hike will be effective from  April 1.

Moving the Haryana Legislative Assembly (Salary, Allowances and Pension of Members) Amendment Bill, 2016, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ram Bilas Sharma cited the ‘rise in the cost of living’ as the reason for the substantial hike in the monthly salaries, allowances and fringe benefits to the legislators. The hike will put an additional burden of over Rs 9 crore on the state exchequer per year. 

After revision, the salary and allowances would include the monthly salary (Rs 40,000, up from Rs 30,000), constituency allowance (Rs 60,000, up from Rs 30,000), office allowance (Rs 25,000 from Rs 10,000), telephone allowance (Rs 15,000, without any increase) and sumptuary allowance (Rs 10,000 from Rs 5,000 at present). 

However, the ‘tax-free’ salary excluded  daily allowance of Rs 2,000 per day (up from Rs 1,500 per day at present) and Rs 3 lakh per annum free travelling allowance (up from Rs 2 lakh currently paid to the members).

A committee constituted by the Haryana Assembly under the chairmanship of BJP chief whip Gian Chand Gupta had recommended an over 100 per cent hike in legislators’ pay and perks in the last budget session.

The salary hike, ironically, came on a day when the ruling BJP MLAs made quite a show of coming to the House on bicycles and rickshaws to promote eco-friendly travel, and also as a symbol of frugality.