Panel to Double the Salary of MP's

Panel to Double the Salary of MP's

NEW DELHI: A parliamentary panel has recommended doubling the salary of law makers and also increasing pension of former MPs by almost 75%. The joint committee, which has submitted its recommendations to the government, has also proposed an automatic pay revision mechanism for parliamentarians like that of pay commission for government employees.

Sources said the panel has made a total of around 60 recommendations. "The committee has reasoned that the last revision of MPs salary happened in 2010 and they don't get any dearness allowance like that of government employees," said a government source.

At present, sitting MPs get monthly salary of Rs 50,000. The panel has also recommended that the daily allowance of Rs 2,000, which they get for attending the House during Parliament sessions should be increased substantially, sources said.

"The hike is overdue. Our daily expenses only for offering tea to visitors come to around Rs 1,000. Can we stop showing this little courtesy to electorates?" asked a sitting BJP lawmaker.

TOI has learnt that the panel headed by BJP MP Yogi Adityanath has recommended that former MPs should also be entitled for 20-25 free domestic air travel in a year and increase in pension from Rs 20,000 to Rs 35,000 per month.

There is another recommendation that each sitting MP should get an additional free air conditioned first class railway pass for their companion, such as private secretary. At present, only the MPs and their spouses are entitled for first class AC travel. Moreover, there is a proposal that the MPs should get an amount equal to first class rail ticket, which is informally known as pocket money. Parliamentarians now get allowance equivalent to fare of one second class AC ticket.

Similarly, for air travel the panel has recommended that the allowance should be equal to one full ticket fare. Sources said some the recommendations are exorbitant and all issues would be looked into before taking any decision.

The panel has also reportedly batted for better facilities for MPs at airports where they can be facilitated. The committee has suggested that the health benefits that MPs get under the Central Government Health Scheme should be extended to their children and grand children as well