The law makers of Uttar Pradesh got a raise of over 160 per cent in the last 18 months when the Vidhan Sabha unanimously passed UP legislature (member’s emoluments and pension) Amendment Bill 2016, ensuring them a monthly pay package of Rs 1.25 lakh.
The Bill was passed on Thursday – the last day of Monsoon session. The hike in emoluments of legislators would cause an additional annual burden of Rs 129 crore on the state exchequer.
The legislators will be richer by Rs 50,000 per month as earlier they were getting Rs 75,000 monthly emoluments including salary. Besides, the annual entitlement of railway coupon, diesel and air travel has been increased from Rs 3.25 lakh per year to Rs 4.25 lakh per annum.
The pension of ex MlAs has also been hiked from minimum Rs 10,000 to Rs 25,000. For each year served by a legislator the pension will increase by Rs 2,000 against Rs 1,000.
This was the third hike in the emoluments of legislators during present regime. The emoluments were first raised in June 2014 followed by in March 2015 and now in August 2016.
According to amendments in the UP State legislature (Members emoluments And Pension) Amendment Bill 2016, the basic salary of legislators has been hiked from Rs 10,000 per month to Rs 25,000 per month. The constituency allowance has been hiked from existing Rs 30,000 per month to Rs 50,000 per month. Medical allowance has been hiked from Rs 20,000 per month to Rs 30,000 per month and secretary allowance has been increased by Rs 15,000 to Rs 20,000 per month.
The other allowances hiked are Jan Seva/daily allowance from Rs 1,000 to Rs 2,000 per day during Assembly session and the allowance for committee meeting and tour has been increased from Rs 800 to Rs 1,500 per day.
With the hike in amount of rail coupon/diesel and air travel, from Rs 3.25 lakh to Rs 4.25 lakh per annum the sitting MlAs will now be able to draw cash of Rs 25,000 per month for the diesel expenditure. With the amendment in the act the legislators have also been permitted to carry companions along with family members.
The annual amount of rail coupon/diesel for the ex MlAs has been increased from Rs 80,000 to Rs One lakh per annum. Out of Rs One lakh, the ex MlAs could now draw cash of Rs 50,000 for diesel per annum.
Earlier, the Assembly had passed the Bill pertaining to the hike of the salary of the Chief Minister and his council of ministers from Rs 12,000 to Rs 40,000 per month.
The Assembly also passed the Bill to set up Jan Nayak Chandrashekhar University in Ballia with a cost of Rs 400 crores. The government also brought Mohammad Ali Jauhar University (Amendment) Bill 2016 which was passed unanimously.
Parliamentary Affairs minister Azam Khan said that the university spread across 450 acres has almost all faculties including Agriculture and Engineering. He said very soon a medical college will also come up on the campus.