Showering bounties on law makers of the State, the Punjab Cabinet on Thursday gave its approval to enhance the salaries and perks of the Speaker, Deputy Speaker of Punjab Vidhan Sabha, along with the salaries of Chief Minister, Ministers, Chief Parliamentary Secretaries, leader of Opposition, and the MlAs.
The decision came on the day when the issue was raised by the SAD MlA Virsa Singh Valtoha in the Assembly to consider increase in the salaries. The Parliamentary Affairs Minister Madan Mohan Mittal had assured him in this regard.
As per the decision, the salary of Speaker and Deputy Speaker has been enhanced from existing Rs30,000 to Rs50,000. Chief Minister’s salary has been hiked from Rs50,000 to Rsone lakh and that of Ministers including Deputy Chief Minister and leader of the Opposition from Rs30,000 to Rs50,000. Besides, the salary of Chief Parliamentary Secretaries would be Rs40,000 against the existing Rs20,000.
The salary or pension of MlAs or ex-MlAs too has been revised from Rs15,000 to Rs25,000. The Cabinet approved to revise certain allowances and perks available to the law makers. The Cabinet considered the report of the General Purpose Committee of the House and also considered the salary and perks prevalent in Haryana and Himachal Pradesh.
For the purpose, the Cabinet amended ‘The Punjab legislative Assembly Speaker's and Deputy Speaker's Salary Act’, ‘East Punjab Ministers Salary Act 1947’, ‘The Punjab Ministers Traveling Allowance Rules, 1953’, and the rules governing the traveling allowance of Chief Parliamentary Secretaries and Parliamentary Secretaries and others dated November 23, 2006, and January 31, 2011, ‘The Punjab legislative (Salary and Allowances of Members) Act, 1942’, and ‘The Punjab State legislature Members (Pension and Medical Facilities Regulation) Act 1977’.
In another major decision to provide relief to the property holders who have been allotted plots by Government and semi-Government authorities, the Cabinet approved the registration of their conveyance deeds at rates prevalent at the time of allotment. The Cabinet decided to give two months to those allottees who have paid instalments for their properties, but could not get the conveyance deeds registered.
Taking a “considerate and sympathetic view”, the Cabinet decided to give the “last chance” to such allottees to get the conveyance deeds registered within two months from the date of notification of this decision failing which such properties would be registered at the prevalent collector rates.