Rs 23 cr spent annually on ex-MLAs’ pension

Pradeep Sharma

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 5

Former Haryana MLAs are probably the highest paid in the country, with the state exchequer paying nearly Rs23 crore per annum as pension to them.

Several of the 262 former MLAs get more than double the salary of sitting MLAs, with former minister Ajay Yadav getting Rs2,38,050 as every monthly, followed by former Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala (Rs2,22,525).

Information procured by Panipat-based activist PP Kapoor under the RTI Act showed that the state government spent Rs22.93 crore annually for paying pension to former MLAs. The government also spent Rs3.15 crore annually on pension to widows of 129 former legislators.

Other major beneficiaries included Chandravati (Rs2,22,525), Sampat Singh (Rs2,14,763), Balbir Pal Shah (Rs2,07,000), Bhagi Ram (Rs1,91,475), Shamsher Singh Surjewala (Rs1,75,950), Mange Ram Gupta (Rs1,68,188), Phool Chand Mullana (Rs1,60,188), Ashok Arora (Rs1,60,425), HS Chatha (Rs1,60,425) and Chander Mohan (Rs1,52,663).

Jindal Steel and Power Limited chairperson and India’s richest woman Savitri Jindal drew a monthly pension of Rs90,563. Till about five years ago, ex-legislators were getting a minimum monthly pension of 20,250, which was now pegged at Rs51,750.

The information showed that 161 former MLAs were drawing a monthly pension of Rs51,750 and 39 former MLAs Rs90,543. Chautala’s son Ajay Chautala, jailed with his father in the JBT recruitment scam, was getting Rs51,750 per month.

Former CM Bhajan Lal’s widow Jasma Devi drew a monthly pension of Rs99,619. under the family pension scheme.

On March 15, the Assembly passed the Haryana Legislative Assembly (Salary, Allowances and Pension of Members) Amendment Bill 2018, which substantially reduced pension benefits of former MLAs.

Claiming that the new Bill would correct the anomaly, CM Manohar Lal Khattar had asserted that now, a member who completed first term after January 1, 2016, would be entitled to Rs50,000 per month as pension for first term and Rs2,000 for each year or part thereof subsequent to the first term.