MLAs await windfall

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, MARCH 9.

A windfall awaits the members of the Delhi Assembly whose salary, constituency allowance, daily allowance, telephone facilities and travelling allowance are all set to register a big jump.

Insiders in the Delhi Government said the proposal, which had been sent to the Chief Minister, Ms. Sheila Dixit, had been approved in part, and the new increased perquisites are likely to come into effect from the next financial year. The MLAs, who have, in private, been cribbing about the low allowances and are all set to get a fat salary packet from next year onwards.

Sources said according to the proposals approved by the Chief Minister and the Finance Department, the number of telephone calls by the MLAs are going to witness a big increase. At present, a member is allowed installation of telephone, without STD facility, at his residence or the place where he ordinarily conducts his work relating to the Assembly. He is entitled to reimbursement of full rental and 650 calls per month as is admissible to the Group ``A'' officers of the Government. This is likely to be increased to 50,000 calls per annum as the workload had increased manifold and the nature of MLAs work had undergone substantial change.

In addition, at present, the travelling allowance to the MLAs is applicable as per the Group ``A'' officers of the Government when a journey is undertaken by a legislator outside Delhi on any business connected with his duties as a member. This entitles the MLA to travel by first class AC in train. But this is now proposed to be hiked to air travel to any destination.

Similarly, the MLAs are presently entitled to concessional railway travel coupons of Rs. 10,000 per year. However, the coupons lapse if the journey is not undertaken in a particular year. But it has been now proposed that the coupons be done away with and a fixed sum of Rs. 50,000 be earmarked for each MLA irrespective of whether he undertakes travel or not. Also, it has been proposed that in case the MLA undertakes the journey, he be entitled to the original one-time reimbursement for the expenses incurred her during that annual trip.

Another stipulation is that the money value of the coupon books used shall not exceed four times the fare of a single air- conditioned two-tier journey between Delhi-Kanyakumari in a financial year.

It is also likely the salary, constituency and daily allowance of the MLAs would stand doubled, as the present sum was considered meagre and impractical. At present, an MLA receives Rs. 2,000 per month as salary, Rs. 2,000 as constituency allowance, Rs. 225 as daily allowance, Rs. 500 as conveyance allowance and Rs. 5,500 per month as secretariat allowance.

This is expected to be doubled as the MLAs have, on many occasions, stated these allowances were inadequate. ``It is high time the Government did something. The present pay of Rs.10,000 per month is inadequate and needs to be looked into. It is becoming difficult to meet the various office expenses. This is peanuts compared to what MLAs get in other States,'' an East Delhi MLA added.

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