Sop time for legislators, panel likely to consider salary hike demand

LUCKNOW: Chief minister Akhilesh Yadav announced sops for sitting and former legislators in the Vidhan Sabha here on Tuesday.

Yadav announced an increase in the pension of former legislators from Rs 10,000 per month to Rs 12,000 per month and said those sitting members, who did not own a house in Lucknow, would get a house now.

“All the legislators will be able allot 100 new hand pumps. Legislators will have a say in the selection of villages for the Lohia Integrated Village Development Scheme,” he said amid applause from both the sides.

Although many legislators urged the chief minister to ensure that the new house was given to them in the Noida area, Yadav said the same would be given to them in Lucknow only. “We always wanted to give you more (luxury cars). But you got the same stalled,” said Yadav.

He urged speaker Mata Prasad Pandey to constitute a committee of the house to consider the demand for an increase in salaries and coupons of legislators along with a hike in the Vidhayak Nidhi, the fund given to them for development of their respective constituencies. He also announced a raise in the honorarium from Rs 7,500 to Rs 8,000 to be given to the assembly staff for working overtime during the budget session. There was laughter in the house when chief minister said he was among the few lucky ones who had been locked in a lift with his wife. Yadav was reacting to a demand for regularisation of liftmen working in the secretariat.

AKHILESH SAID THE LEGISLATORS WOULD BE ABLE TO GET AN EIGHT KILOMETRE ROAD CONSTRUCTED WITH A HOT MIX PLANT IN THEIR RESPECTIVE CONSTITUENCIES