JOIN USA Bill for three-fold increase in salaries and allowances of MLAs and MLCs of the country’s newest state was introduced in Telangana Assembly here on Monday.
The bill proposes a massive hike of salary from the present Rs 90,000 per month to Rs 3 lakh a month. Out of this, the basic will be Rs 12,000 while the rest will be in form of allowances. The Bill also ensures a hike in vehicle allowance from the current Rs 15 lakh to Rs 40 lakh. The hike in salaries and allowances is going to cost the state exchequer somewhere around Rs 57 crore per year.
Introducing the Bill, Legislative Affairs minister T Harish Rao cited the rising costs of living and expenses including travelling, serving on committees, fuel, paying personal assistants, telephone charges and family expenses as the reasons for demanding a salary hike.
At present, the total expenditure being incurred towards salaries and perks to the legislators is Rs 15 crore per year, which is a mere 0.001% of the Rs 1.15 lakh crore state budget. The Assembly Amenities Committee said that it is estimated that at least Rs 3,00,000 monthly salary to each MLA or MLC would be required to address their needs.