MLAs not satisfied with proposed salary increase, get bill deferred

BILL PROPOSES TO HIKE THEIR SALARY FROM `30,000 TO `40,000, CONSTITUENCY ALLOWANCE FROM `30,000 TO `40,000

CHANDIGARH: They may speak different languages on other issues, but spoke on Tuesday in one voice on giving themselves a salary hike.

The government tabled the Haryana Legislative Assembly (salary, allowances and pension of members) Amendment Bill in the House but it was deferred for discussion on Wednesday after several members found the proposed hike inadequate.

As the copies of bills were distributed among the MLAs, the lone BSP MLA Tek Chand Sharma said the hike was less.

He said honest MLAs had to spend from their pocket for many works in their constituency and on people and were thus, becoming poorer with time.

“If we want a corruption-free government, the MLAs ought to get a decent salary,” he added.

Sharma, one of the six members of the pay hike committee, did not stop here and sought support from the House. Most members thumped their desks to show their support, following which speaker Kanwar Pal deferred the bill for Wednesday.

The bill proposed to increase the salary from `30,000 to `40,000, constituency allowance from `30,000 to `40,000, office allowance from `10,000 to `15,000, daily allowance from `1,500 to `2,000 for maximum of 15 days a month, free travelling allowance from `2 lakh to `3 lakh, secretarial allowance from `15,000 for one person to `15,000 each for two persons. The hike, if approved, would entail an extra expenditure of about `3.92 crore annually.