Kerala Govt to hike MLAs' salaries, allowances

Thiruvananthapuram, July 18 (UNI) The Speaker, Deputy Speaker, Ministers, Leader of the Opposition, chief whip and members of the Kerala Legislative Assembly will get increased allowances and pension, with the Government deciding to amend the Payment of Salaries and Allowance and the Kerala Payment of Pension to Legislature Members Acts.

State Law Minister M Vijayakumar today introduced the two Bills in the House, which were later referred to the Subjects Committee.

The amendment proposed to increase the allowance of Speaker, Deputy Speaker, Ministers, Opposition leader and Chief whip from Rs 2,500 to Rs 7,500 and that of the MLAs from Rs 3,500 to Rs 5,000.

The MLAs would also get a fixed allowance of Rs 300 per month.

The Bill also proposed a hike in the travel and telephone allowance, besides the minimum travelling allowance from Rs 7,500 to Rs 10,000 per month.

The Bill also called for increasing the minimum pension of former MLAs from Rs 2,500 to Rs 4,500.

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