Delhi Assembly forms panel to raise issue of MLA salary hike

The Delhi Assembly today formed a six-member committee, chaired by Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, to take up the issue of the proposed hike in salary of ministers and legislators with the Centre.

In December 2015, the Assembly had passed a Bill seeking 400 percent hike in the basic salary of MLAs and ministers besides hefty increase in perks and allowances.

Sisodia said the Bill is pending with the Union Home Ministry for its approval.

The deputy chief minister moved a resolution on constituting the committee, which was passed with a voice vote in the house.

AAP legislators Saurabh Bharadwaj, Sanjeev Jha and Praveen Kumar, and BJP legislators Om Prakash Sharma and Manjinder Singh Sirsa have been appointed members of the committee.

While moving the resolution in the house, Sisodia said the committee will meet Home Minister Rajnath Singh and request him to clear the Bill.

AAP MLA Vishesh Ravi, who had raised the issue of salary hike, told the house that legislators face problems as they don't get enough salary.

BJP MLA Sharma supported Ravi, saying the opposition members are with ruling party MLAs on the salary hike issue.

As per a provision of the Bill cleared by the Delhi Assembly in 2015, the basic salary of legislators will increase from the current Rs 12,000 to Rs 50,000 and their overall monthly pay will be around Rs 2.1 lakh as against Rs 88,000 at present.

The basic salary of the ministers, the speaker and the deputy speaker, the chief whip and the leader of opposition will be around Rs 80,000 and their total emoluments nearly Rs 3.67 lakh as against Rs 1.2 lakh now.

After the Assembly passed the Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Government of NCT of Delhi (Salaries, Allowances, Pension) Amendment Bill 2015, it was sent to the Centre for approval.