New Delhi:
Recession may not be officially over and the Queen of England may have frozen staff salaries, but the Indian government is preparing to spend some extra taxpayer rupees to hike the salaries of MPs. They wanted a five-fold increase to Rs 80,001, but shall have to settle for a mere 100 per cent hike to Rs 35,000 a month.
If your heart just began to bleed for your underpaid, local MP, stem it. It's true that the government has not accepted all the recommendations of a committee comprising, well, MPs, but Rs 35,000 is just the salary.
Then there is daily allowance, up from Rs 1000 to Rs 2000 every day that Parliament is in session, regardless of whether there are disruptions or work gets done.
Office expense allowance will be increased to Rs 34,000, an increase of Rs 20,000 per month and the constituency allowance will be doubled to Rs 40,000 per month for each MP.
The MPs wanted at least 50 free flights every year, but the government has refused and the members will have to do with just the 34 free trips a year that they already have. But if they are happy to travel by train, there is a free AC First Class ride every time.
Add to this accommodation in Delhi at some of the city's best addresses. Water and electricity free, but the government has refused to increase free telephone calls. These remain at 150,000 a year.
Former MPs needn't despair, their pensions will go up too. Once these government proposals are approved. By the Members of Parliament.
A quick calculation of the CTC - Cost to Country - from the above shall reveal that All is Well for the MPs after all.
(salary) + Rs 2000 (daily allowance) + 34 air journeys + Rs 40,000 (office expense allowance) + Rs 40000 (constituency allowance) + 1.5 lakh free telephone calls + free 1st AC rail travel + accommodation in Delhi including water and electricity
PreviousRs 16000 (salary) + Rs 1000 (daily allowance) + 34 air journeys + Rs 20,000 (office expense allowance) +Rs 20000 ( constituency allowance) + 1.5 lakh free telephone calls + free 1st AC rail travel+ accommodation in Delhi including water and electricity