While the Centre's decision to cut 30 per cent salary of all lawmakers for a year to fight the coronavirus pandemic is "appropriate", it should have discussed the suspension of the MPLAD Fund with them, AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh on Monday.
He said MPs could have utilised the fund for procuring ventilators, masks and employment creation in their respective constituencies.
Earlier in the day, the Union Cabinet approved an ordinance amending the Salary, Allowances and Pension of Members of Parliament Act, 1954 reducing allowances and pension by 30 per cent from April 1, 2020 for a year, Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar said.
This will impact the prime minister, all Union ministers and over 750 Members of Parliament (MPs).
The Cabinet also approved temporary suspension of the Member of Parliament Local Area Development (MPLAD) Fund scheme during financial years 2020-21 and 2021-22, and the amount will be used for "managing health and adverse impact of outbreak of COVID19" in the country, Javadekar said.
In a tweet in Hindi, Singh said, "Cutting MPs' salary is appropriate but every MP could have used the MP fund for procuring ventilators, masks and employment creation in their respective constituencies. The matter should have been discussed with the MPs."
While there are 543 MPs in Lok Sabha, the Rajya Sabha has 245 members -- 788 in all. Each MP gets Rs 5 crore per annum as MPLAD. It means, the government will get nearly Rs 7880 crore from the fund.
According to Javadekar, the President, the Vice President, governors of states have also voluntarily decided to take a pay cut as a social responsibility.
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