Thiruvananthapuram Oct 29 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Kerala Assembly on Thursday passed a Bill unanimously to increase the salaries and allowances of ministers and MLAs. However, BJP Nemom MLA Rajeev Chandrasekhar rejected the hike and pledged to spend his entire salary and allowances on the poor in his constituency.
The Bill raises the total monthly remuneration of MLAs from Rs 70,000 to Rs 98,000, while ministers' salaries will go up from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 1.33 lakh.
The minimum monthly pension of former MLAs has also been increased from Rs 8,000 to Rs 10,000.
The salary and allowance revision is the first since 2018.
The government had deferred a proposed revision in 2022, citing the state's financial difficulties.
However, members of both the ruling and Opposition parties had pressed for an increase, and the Bill was passed without any dissent in the House.
Speaker Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan said several members had shared their difficulties in meeting rising expenses.
He congratulated the members on passing the Bill without any disagreement.
The Speaker also requested that each MLA be provided with an additional personal assistant.
Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan responded that the proposal could be considered favourably.
However, Chandrasekhar, through a statement to the press, said he would not accept the increased salary and allowances, citing the state's poor financial condition.
He said he would use all the salary and allowances he received as an MLA for the benefit of poor people in Nemom.
He questioned the government's decision to increase the remuneration of ministers and legislators when ASHA workers and Public Service Commission (PSC) job aspirants were yet to receive what they deserved.
The BJP state president also alleged that there was no difference between the Pinarayi Vijayan and V.D. Satheesan governments in pursuing policies that went against the interests of the people.
The revised package increases several allowances for MLAs, including the constituency allowance from Rs 25,000 to Rs 35,000 and the travel allowance from Rs 20,000 to Rs 30,000 a month.
The annual air travel allowance has been raised from Rs 50,000 to Rs 75,000.
Former MLAs will also receive additional monthly pension benefits on attaining the ages of 70 and 80, under the revised provisions.
The Assembly was adjourned sine die soon after the Bill was passed.
Source: IANS
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