Parl Committee proposes 3G facility for MPs

New Delhi, Jul 11: A Parliamentary Committee recommended the advanced mobile telephony, 3G facility for MPs. The new suggestion comes after the proposal of a salary hike for MPs.

The Lok Sabha secretariat informed on Sunday, Jul 11 that the issue of providing 3G facility to MPs was considered by the Joint Committee on Salaries and Allowances of MPs. The charges towards the 3G package as well as additional usage of facility would be adjustable within the 1,50,000 free calls available every year to the members at present.

The new facility will be enabled by MTNL/BSNL and is optional for the members. They would have to bear the expenses towards 3G compatible handset on which it works.

The Parliamentary panel had recently suggested the monthly salary hike of MPs from Rs 16,000 to Rs 80,001 which will be a rupee more than a Secretary to the Union Government. This suggestion is under the consideration of the government.

The last hike in salaries and allowances of the MPs were provided some ten years back. PK Bansal said that the government hoped to introduce the bill in the Monsoon session of Parliament.

The Parliamentary Committee under the leadership of Charan Das Mahant of Congress party has suggested raising the daily allowance of MPs from Rs 1000 to Rs 2000 when Parliament is in session. They also recommended to increase office expense allowances substantially as well as the constituency allowance. The report of suggestion is presented to Speaker Mira Kumar and Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari, in May 2010.

OneIndia News