Mizoram Assembly increases salary of MLAs by Rs 85,000

Aizawl, Nov 21: The Mizoram Assembly on Thursday passed amendment bills by which the salaries and allowances of the chief minister, speaker, deputy speaker, MLAs, ministers and leader of opposition will go up.

The monthly salary and allowances of MLAs were hiked from the existing Rs 65,000 to Rs 1.50 lakh, a rise of about 130.77 per cent. The revised salaries will come into effect once it is notified in the gazette.

The salaries and allowances of the government chief whip and deputy government chief whip would also be enhanced, according to the bills introduced and passed on the last day of the three-day winter session of the legislature.

The chief minister would now get Rs 1.84 lakh per month, the speaker would receive Rs 1.73 lakh and the cabinet ministers and leader of the opposition would be paid Rs 1.68 lakh. The amendment bills were introduced in the House by Parliamentary Affairs Minister T. J. Lalnuntluanga.

While the deputy speaker would get monthly salary and allowances of Rs 1.61 lakh, ministers of state and deputy government chief whip would receive Rs 1.57 lakh. The parliamentary affairs minister is the ex-officio government chief whip and will not receive extra benefits beyond the salary and allowances of a minister or minister of state.

The monthly salaries of the chief minister, speaker, deputy speaker, minister, leader of opposition, minister of state, deputy government chief whip and the MLA was fixed at Rs 80,000 per month.

Pension of the legislators was enhanced from Rs 25,000 to Rs 40,000 and those elected for more than one term would receive an additional pension of Rs 5,000 per month. However, the pension amount would not exceed Rs 70,000 per month. House building advance disbursed to each legislator was increased from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 20 lakh.