New Delhi:
As ordinary people across struggle with spiralling prices, Delhi MLAs and ministers have given themselves a 100% hike in their salaries. The Bill, which was already approved by the Home Ministry in July, was tabled by Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on Monday. The ministry had earlier rejected a proposal for a 300 per cent hike.
"Everyone's salaries have been raised in the wake of 6th pay commission. The salaries of the labours have increased, so it was obvious that MLAS salaries would increase too. The Delhi MLAs have the lowest salary. They don't even get any house or anything. This issue was being discussed for last one and half years. The Home Ministry and the Finance Ministry looked into it and then we implemented it now," said Sheila Dikshit.
IANS adds: While the basic salary has been increased from Rs.6,000 to Rs.12,000 per month, the constituency allowance has been hiked from Rs.8,000 to Rs.18,000. The monthly allowance for telephone facilities has been increased from Rs.4,000 to Rs.8,000. The annual travel facilities have also been increased. They will now get an annual travel allowance of Rs.50,000 instead of Rs.35,000.
Besides these, the reimbursement of the legislators' monthly electricity and water consumption has been doubled from Rs. 2,000 to Rs. 4,000.
The salary of cabinet ministers has also been nearly doubled taking their total salary and allowances, including petrol allowance, to over Rs.1 lakh.
Each minister is eligible for getting free 700 litres of petrol which costs over Rs.60 per litre. This allowance alone would get them over Rs.42,000 a month. Their constituency allowance is Rs.18,000, same as other legislators.
Ministers' basic salary has been hiked from Rs.10,000 to Rs.20,000
The lawmakers' pay was last increased in June 2007.
The Delhi government, over the last year, has been trying to hike the legislators' salaries citing inflation and the rise in living costs.