A missed opportunity for ministers to get richer

The government on Wednesday stopped short of tabling and passing the Karnataka Ministers Salaries and Allowances (Amendment) Bill, 2011, which proposes to increase the chief minister’s salary to Rs 30,000 from Rs 12,000, and an annual sumptuary allowance to Rs 1.5 lakh from Rs 75,000.

The copies of the Bill were printed and ready, but the government decided not to take it up fearing a public outcry, sources said.

The increase would cost the State exchequer Rs 2.5 crore annually.

A table of the proposed hike in salaries and allowances of the chief minister and his ministers is given below.