As prices shoot up, MPs seek salary hike

chief

Prime VIP
New Delhi, June 27

With prices rising, lawmakers of the world's largest democracy are seeking a better pay package. A parliamentary committee has recommended that the monthly salary of the MPs be hiked from Rs 16,000 to Rs 80,001, a rupee more than a Secretary to the Union Government. The matter is under the consideration of the government.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister PK Bansal said the extent of hike in salary and allowances of the MPs had not been decided. “Nothing has been finalised. Everything is under discussion. Very soon, we will take it up with the concerned ministries. We hope to take it to the Cabinet so as to introduce a Bill in the coming session of Parliament beginning next month,” he said.

Bansal insisted that there was “nothing wrong” in Parliament amending the relevant Act periodically keeping in view the increased cost of living and other expenses. The last hike in salaries and allowances of 795 MPs — 545 of the Lok Sabha and 250 of the Rajya Sabha — was effected some 10 years ago. The Sixth Pay Commission for government servants came into effect from January 2006.

The manner in which the hike has been sought to be brought about has raised a controversy. CPI-M leader Sitaram Yechury has already said his party would oppose the move of the parliamentarians themselves deciding on their pay hike as it was “wrong”.

In the last Lok Sabha too, then Speaker Somnath Chatterjee had favoured an institutional mechanism like a Salary Commission to go into the issue and had even written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as he felt that it was not proper that the MPs themselves decide on their pay packet.

Chatterjee said he was informed by the government that it was not possible to set up such a mechanism in the Lok Sabha and it could be thought of later. There are, however, no two views about the meagre salary the parliamentarians here get as compared to their counterparts in some other countries.
 
maharaj baki janta da v socho,
inni mehngai ch 7th pay commision lagan wala ho gaya.
inna apni salary taan ik din ch badha leni aa,
par jado janta di bari aauni taan saala dar saal bahas chalni parliament ch
 
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