Hike in pay, allowances of ministers, MLAs

Bhopal, July 8(UNI) The Madhya Pradesh Vidhan Sabha today passed without debate three amendment bills raising the pay and allowances of ministers, legislators, Speaker, Deputy Speaker and Leader of the opposition, entailing additional annual burden of Rs 91.44 lakh to the state exchequer.

The amendment provides for raising the salary of ministers from Rs 4,000 to Rs 9,000 per month, sumptuary allowance will be raised by Rs 1,000 to Rs 16,000 for Chief Minister, Rs 9,000 for ministers, Rs 6,000 for ministers of state and Rs 2,500 for Deputy Ministers and Parliamentary Secretaries.

Constituency allowance will be raised to Rs 12,000 from Rs 8,000 per month.

The pay and allowances of ministers were raised consequent to similar raise effected for the legislators earlier, Minister of State for General Administration Ranjana Baghel said.

Monthly pay of Speaker, Deputy Speaker and Leader of Opposition will be raised from Rs 4,000 to Rs 9,000. Sumptuary allowance of Speaker and leader of opposition will be raised from Rs 8,000 to Rs 9,000 and of Deputy Speaker from Rs 5,000 to Rs 6,000.

The legislators will also be entitled to monthly orderly allowance of Rs 1,000 from February 22, 2001 and Rs 2,000 from October 3, 2007. At present, orderly allowance is being paid through administrative order.

Legislators are already being paid telephone allowance of Rs 7,000 per month irrespective of having telephone connection at their residence and stationery and postal allowance of Rs 2,000.

UNI SP 1530