State govt amends law to rationalise former MLAS’ pension

CHANDIGARH: The Haryana Vidhan Sabha on Thursday tweaked ex-mlas pension and allowances rules after chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar dubbed as “daaka” (loot) the law previous government had framed to increase pension and allowances of former members of the state assembly.

The Haryana Legislative Assembly (Salary, Allowance and Pension of members) amendment Bill-2018 will impact the pension in the long run of those who will complete their first term after January 1, 2016.

As per the statement of objects and reasons, the government pays ex-members Rs 10,000 pension per month from October 1, 2013. They also get Rs 1,500 for each additional year subsequent to first terms and 50% as dearness pension. They are also drawing 245% dearness relief on all the emoluments.

While moving the bill, the chief minister said some of the ex-mlas were drawing nearly Rs 2.50 lakh pension due to the lacunae in the law.

Now, the pension of all the persons who have completed first term before January 1, 2016 will be consolidated by merging pension, additional pension, dearness pension and dearness relief.

He said the existing law dealing with pension of ex-mlas was clearly at attempt to hide from public the actual pension and other allowances.

“We must set right the wrong done by the previous regimes while fixing pension and DA of ex-mlas at the cost of people’s money. It appears they were rewarding themselves only,” Khattar said as he moved the bill that was passed unanimously without discussion.

As per the amendment, a member who completed first term after January 1, 2016 and became a pensioner would be entitled to draw Rs 50,000 per month as pension for his first term, and Rs 2,000 for each year or part thereof subsequent to the first term. He would be entitled to dearness relief at the rates prescribed by government from time to time for the state government’s post-2016 pensioners.

The CM said that in spite of revision of pension four times after January 1, 1996, they are drawing dearness relief at the rate of 245%.

The former MLAS would now be entitled to draw either dearness relief (fixed) or dearness relief at the rates prescribed by the government from time to time for their post-2016 pensioners, whichever is higher.

On the request of ex-mlas to allow them the facility of special travelling allowance for themselves and members of their families, the CM said they would be allowed the facility of special travelling allowance of up to Rs 10,000 per month provided their monthly pension plus dearness relief does not exceed Rs 1 lakh.