legislators in Telangana became highest paid in the country with the State Assembly on Tuesday passing a Bill giving effect to a hefty hike in their salaries and others sops.
The Telangana Payment of Salaries and Pension Removal of Disqualifications (Amendment) Bill, moved by legislative Affairs Minister T Harish Rao, was passed unanimously increasing the pay of the MlAS and MlCs by hefty 260 per cent.
Member’s pay which was Rs95,000 has now increased to Rs2,50,000 per month. The payment of the Ministers, whip and chief whip was increased from Rs2,42,000 to Rs4,00,000. Total pay of the Chief Minister has been hiked from Rs2,44,000 to Rs4,21,000.
In case of the Speaker and the chairman of the Assembly and the Council the payment was hiked from Rs2,42,000 to Rs4,11,000. Speaking on the bill today the Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao said that the lawmakers play an important role in nation building and their problems and difficulties should also be taken into consideration.
He said that amendments will also help the spouses of the MlAs and former MlAs to get full pension after their demise.
After the hike monthly salary of the members will be Rs20,000 and constituency allowance will be Rs2,30,000.
The significant increase in the salaries of the law makers over the last quarter of a century was under lined by a senior member G Chinna Reddy of Congress. He recalled that in 1989 when he was elected to the House for the first time, the salary of the members was paltry Rs10,000 per month.
Even as the hefty hike in the salaries of the legislators came under attack in view of the weakening finances of the State.