 "MPs to seek 100% pay hike, health benefits to married children")
In 1991, then president R Venkataraman refused assent to a Bill passed unanimously by both Houses of Parliament to increase pension of former members of parliament (MPs). Given the public outcry against what was seen as a self-serving effort by MPs, the Cabinet thought better of sending the Bill again to the president.
Venkataraman had found it repugnant that the MPs were pushing for all pension benefits to even those of them who had served for a month. "But subsequently amendments were made to ensure that all pension benefits will accrue to an ex-MP even if they had served a day," constitutional expert Subhash C Kashyap said. The former secretary-general of the Lok Sabha had argued against the hike, something that Venkataraman heeded.
The MPs, a rare class of people that decide their own salary, are at it again. A Parliamentary panel has recommended a 100 per cent hike in salary and perks of MPs, a doubling of their daily allowance and 75 per cent raise in pension of former MPs, apart from extending free railway travel to "companions" of ex-MPs and not just to their "spouses". This isn't the first time that the MPs have recommended a salary hike to themselves, and unlikely to be the last. The Salary, Allowance and Pension Act, 1954 had been amended as many as 27 times until the last revision in 2010.
The committee has recommended to the parliamentary affairs ministry a 100 per cent increase to the existing Rs 50,000-salary of MPs and favoured increasing the pension of former parliamentarians from Rs 20,000 to Rs 35,000. The panel has also recommended that the daily allowance of MPs, that is the allowance they get when attending Parliament during the sessions, be increased from Rs 2,000 to Rs 4,000.
The panel has recommended that the ex-MPs should be allowed free first class train journey along with their companions. Currently, ex-MPs' spouse can accompany them but is entitled to second class AC. Members argued that this should be addressed since many former MPs are single or widowers.
Besides, the panel is of the view that ex-MPs should be allowed to travel by air five times a year in the economy class. The sitting MPs are allowed to fly executive class around three dozen times a year. The panel also noted that since MPs are considered above the rank of cabinet secretary, their privileges should also match their status.
It has also proposed health care benefits to married children of MPs. Some members even argued that since India is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations, salary and allowances of its MPs should be at a par with their counterparts in the member-countries.
Currently, besides their salary and allowance for attending Parliament, MPs also get monthly Rs 45,000 as constituency allowance (including Rs 30,000 per month salary for secretarial staff and Rs 15,000 for office stationery). In addition to the free accommodation, the MPs are entitled to 1.5 lakh free telephone calls in a year and 50,000 units of free power. They can spend Rs 60,000 on purchase of durable and Rs 15,000 on non-durable furniture.
The MPs are entitled to Rs 16 per kilometre of travel allowance if they are commuting by road. Even the spouse is entitled to avail this facility eight times a year. The MPs are entitled to first class AC travel in trains along with their spouse. The spouse can independently travel from the place of residence to Delhi any number of times in a first class AC compartment. The spouse, when Parliament is in session, can travel free by air.
The MPs are allowed a loan of Rs 4 lakh to purchase a vehicle once during their term. They are also allowed Rs 3 lakh allowance for purchasing computers and electronic products once a term. Other benefits include a heavily subsidised canteen and free-of-cost health coverage.
Venkataraman had found it repugnant that the MPs were pushing for all pension benefits to even those of them who had served for a month. "But subsequently amendments were made to ensure that all pension benefits will accrue to an ex-MP even if they had served a day," constitutional expert Subhash C Kashyap said. The former secretary-general of the Lok Sabha had argued against the hike, something that Venkataraman heeded.
The MPs, a rare class of people that decide their own salary, are at it again. A Parliamentary panel has recommended a 100 per cent hike in salary and perks of MPs, a doubling of their daily allowance and 75 per cent raise in pension of former MPs, apart from extending free railway travel to "companions" of ex-MPs and not just to their "spouses". This isn't the first time that the MPs have recommended a salary hike to themselves, and unlikely to be the last. The Salary, Allowance and Pension Act, 1954 had been amended as many as 27 times until the last revision in 2010.
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The 15-member joint committee on salaries and allowances of MPs, headed by Bharatiya Janata Party MP Yogi Adityanath, has recommended another revision. Though some panel members like Communist Party of India (Marxist)'s K N Balagopal and Janata Dal (United)'s K C Tyagi said MPs should not decide their salary and allowances and that it should be done through an independent mechanism.
The committee has recommended to the parliamentary affairs ministry a 100 per cent increase to the existing Rs 50,000-salary of MPs and favoured increasing the pension of former parliamentarians from Rs 20,000 to Rs 35,000. The panel has also recommended that the daily allowance of MPs, that is the allowance they get when attending Parliament during the sessions, be increased from Rs 2,000 to Rs 4,000.
The panel has recommended that the ex-MPs should be allowed free first class train journey along with their companions. Currently, ex-MPs' spouse can accompany them but is entitled to second class AC. Members argued that this should be addressed since many former MPs are single or widowers.
Besides, the panel is of the view that ex-MPs should be allowed to travel by air five times a year in the economy class. The sitting MPs are allowed to fly executive class around three dozen times a year. The panel also noted that since MPs are considered above the rank of cabinet secretary, their privileges should also match their status.
It has also proposed health care benefits to married children of MPs. Some members even argued that since India is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations, salary and allowances of its MPs should be at a par with their counterparts in the member-countries.
Currently, besides their salary and allowance for attending Parliament, MPs also get monthly Rs 45,000 as constituency allowance (including Rs 30,000 per month salary for secretarial staff and Rs 15,000 for office stationery). In addition to the free accommodation, the MPs are entitled to 1.5 lakh free telephone calls in a year and 50,000 units of free power. They can spend Rs 60,000 on purchase of durable and Rs 15,000 on non-durable furniture.
The MPs are entitled to Rs 16 per kilometre of travel allowance if they are commuting by road. Even the spouse is entitled to avail this facility eight times a year. The MPs are entitled to first class AC travel in trains along with their spouse. The spouse can independently travel from the place of residence to Delhi any number of times in a first class AC compartment. The spouse, when Parliament is in session, can travel free by air.
The MPs are allowed a loan of Rs 4 lakh to purchase a vehicle once during their term. They are also allowed Rs 3 lakh allowance for purchasing computers and electronic products once a term. Other benefits include a heavily subsidised canteen and free-of-cost health coverage.