New Delhi:
Parliament is likely to witness a stormy scene yet again today as MPs cutting across parties are disappointed over the deferment of the pay hike Bill. Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav is all set to lead the protests on the issue in the Lok Sabha.
On Monday, after the Union Cabinet deferred the decision on the proposed three-fold salary hike because there was no consensus within the ministers, Lalu Prasad Yadav slammed opponents of the raise as 'Crorepatis' or multi-millionaires who do not realise the fate of the ordinary Members of Parliament. (Read: MPs have to wait for salary hike)
MPs are currently paid Rs. 16,000 a month. They'd like to see that tripled to Rs. 50,000 a month. They also want other allowances to be doubled. MPs get Rs. 1000 a day when Parliament is in session. They also get Rs. 20,000 every month as a "constituency allowance." Another Rs. 20,000 is meant to cover their office expenses. (Salary hike for MPs? Your Comments)
MPs say this is only fair, pointing to the fact that a secretary to the government gets Rs. 80,000 a month.
Those within the Cabinet who aren't on board with the raise include Home Minister P Chidambaram and Defence Minister AK Antony. They say the timing isn't appropriate, given the corruption scandal rooted in the Commonwealth Games, and the recent and controversial hike in fuel prices.
But there were some heavyweights who supported the 300 per cent raise under discussion. Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal were among those who said that across the world, elected representatives are better-paid. Politics, they argued, should not be an option only for the rich. Another popular argument in this camp: if MPs make more money, corruption could dip.
However, sources say whether MPs get an increment will now be debated many months later, in the winter session of Parliament.
On Monday, after the Union Cabinet deferred the decision on the proposed three-fold salary hike because there was no consensus within the ministers, Lalu Prasad Yadav slammed opponents of the raise as 'Crorepatis' or multi-millionaires who do not realise the fate of the ordinary Members of Parliament. (Read: MPs have to wait for salary hike)
MPs are currently paid Rs. 16,000 a month. They'd like to see that tripled to Rs. 50,000 a month. They also want other allowances to be doubled. MPs get Rs. 1000 a day when Parliament is in session. They also get Rs. 20,000 every month as a "constituency allowance." Another Rs. 20,000 is meant to cover their office expenses. (Salary hike for MPs? Your Comments)
MPs say this is only fair, pointing to the fact that a secretary to the government gets Rs. 80,000 a month.
Those within the Cabinet who aren't on board with the raise include Home Minister P Chidambaram and Defence Minister AK Antony. They say the timing isn't appropriate, given the corruption scandal rooted in the Commonwealth Games, and the recent and controversial hike in fuel prices.
But there were some heavyweights who supported the 300 per cent raise under discussion. Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal were among those who said that across the world, elected representatives are better-paid. Politics, they argued, should not be an option only for the rich. Another popular argument in this camp: if MPs make more money, corruption could dip.
However, sources say whether MPs get an increment will now be debated many months later, in the winter session of Parliament.
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