The Monsoon session of the Himachal Pradesh Assembly officially concluded today after the passage of Bills hiking the salaries and allowances of state ministers, the Speaker, Deputy Speaker and MLAs.
The Assembly was adjourned sine die after seven sittings and the passage of 12 Bills this session, including the HP Town and Country Planning (Amendment) Act.
The emoluments for MLAs has been raised from Rs 70,000 to Rs 1,15,000 per month while their salary was hiked from Rs 20,000 to Rs 30,000.
They would now receive a telephone allowance of Rs 15,000 as against the Rs 10,000 at present and their constituency allowance has been hiked from Rs 35,000 to Rs 60,000. Their office allowance has been increased by Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000 per month.
The minimum pension for former MLAs was increased from Rs 18,000 to Rs 22,000 per month.
The monthly salary of the Chief Minister has been hiked from Rs 39,000 to Rs 65,000 while a cabinet minister would now get Rs 50,000 as against Rs 36,000 at present.
The salary of state ministers and deputy ministers has been enhanced from Rs 33,000 and Rs 32,000 to Rs 48,000 and Rs 45,000, respectively.
The Chief Parliamentary Secretary's salary goes up from Rs 23,000 to Rs 40,000 and the Parliamentary Secretary will now draw Rs 35,000 as against the current Rs 22,000.
The telephone allowance for ministers was increased from Rs 10,000 to Rs 20,000 per month and they would also be entitled to a sumptuary allowance of Rs 30,000 per month.
The hikes awarded will put an additional burden of Rs 72.72 lakh per annum on the state exchequer.
The salaries of the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker would go up from Rs 36,000 and Rs 33,000 to Rs 50,000 and Rs 45,000 per month, respectively.
Their telephone allowance, too, was hiked by Rs 10,000 to Rs 20,000 and they would also be entitled to a monthly sumptuary allowance of Rs 30,000.
The above Bills were introduced in the budget session of the Assembly in April this year but the Chief Minister had withdrawn them as Opposition BJP was not in the House when they came up for discussion.
