M A I N   N E W S

MPs get 300% hike, still unhappy
Want 500% hike even as Cabinet okays raise in salary from Rs 16,000 to Rs 50,000
Girja Shankar Kaura
Tribune News Service

Other benefits

n Hike in office expenses from Rs 20,000 to Rs 40,000 per month. n Limit for interest-free loan for buying a vehicle up four-fold to Rs 4 lakh. n Road mileage for vehicles raised from Rs 13 per km to Rs 16 per km. n MPs’ spouse can now travel any number of times in first class or executive class. n Pension benefits increased from Rs 8,000 to Rs 20,000 per month.

New Delhi, August 20
Even as the government today hiked the salaries of Members of Parliament by over 300 per cent, the members from various parties expressed their unhappiness over the decision and even stalled the proceedings in the Lok Sabha seeking more money.

Having put off the decision to hike the MPs’ salaries in the last cabinet meeting following the difference of opinion among the cabinet ministers over the wrong message the hike would send to the common man reeling under inflation, the Union cabinet today went ahead with the proposed hike.

At a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the cabinet decided that the MPs’ salaries would be hiked from Rs 16,000 to Rs 50,000. The hike, as approved by the government, however, evoked a sharp reaction from MPs across party lines, who protested the “minimal hike” and stalled the Lok Sabha proceedings. The proceedings were interrupted thrice, the third one forcing the adjournment for the day.

Members of the Samajwadi Party (SP), Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Janata Dal-United (JD-U) and other parties protested in the House, terming the hike as “minimal” and demanded that the proposed increase by the cabinet be taken back.

RJD chief Lalu Prasad, who had earlier in the week raised the issue of salary hike in the House, and SP leader Mulayam Singh Yadav triggered the protest, demanding the salary of MPs be upped to Rs 80,001 — one rupee more than what a government secretary gets.

MPs raised slogans like "Hamara vetan waapas lo, waapas lo, waapas lo!" (Take our salary back) and walked towards Speaker Meira Kumar's podium.

Lalu Prasad alleged that the government had "insulted the MPs with minimal hike". "The parliamentary panel had recommended Rs 80,001. This is insult. How can we sit silent over it?" Lalu Prasad said when Meira Kumar asked him to take his seat and let question hour proceed.

The Speaker repeatedly pleaded that the issue could be raised during zero hour but the protesters didn't relent. Meira Kumar then adjourned the house till noon.

When the House reassembled at noon, leaders of SP and RJD, Mulayam Singh Yadav and Lalu Prasad, led their members to the well to protest. The members of Shiv Sena, Akali Dal and JD(U) also joined them. As the protests continued, the Speaker adjourned the proceedings till 2 p.m.

Meanwhile, the cabinet, besides increasing the salary from Rs 16,000 to Rs 50,000 per month, also approved increase in office expenses of parliamentarians from Rs 20,000 to Rs 40,000 per month. The constituency allowance has also been doubled from Rs 20,000 to Rs 40,000 per month, government sources said.

The limit for interest-free loan for MPs for buying a personal vehicle has been hiked four-fold to Rs 4 lakh from the present Rs 1 lakh. The government also approved a hike in road mileage rate for vehicles used by MPs from Rs 13 per km to Rs 16 per km.