Shimla, April 9
Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today sprung a surprise in the Assembly when he announced that the government had decided to withdraw tabling of four Bills pertaining to enhancement in salaries of ministers, Speaker, Deputy Speaker, parliamentary secretaries and legislators.

The announcement regarding withdrawal of Bills was made by Virbhadra immediately after BJP MLA’s staged a walkout over the proposed amendment in the HP Cooperative Societies (Amendment) Bill, 2013.

“As it was with the consensus of the BJP legislature party that we had proposed to make the amendment in the Act for enhancing salaries, I feel it would not be appropriate to pass these Bills in their absence as it will amount to be a one-sided affair,” said Virbhadra.

The sudden announcement by the Chief Minister took even the ruling party MLAs by surprise. “Though the Congress has the majority and we can pass the Bill but I don’t wish to do so. I don’t want the Opposition to say later that weren’t a party to the passing of the salary hike Bill,” said the Chief Minister. He also termed as unfortunate the walkout by the BJP stating that in a democracy issues should be resolved through debate.

It is perhaps for the first time in the history of the HP Assembly that the Bill, proposing increase in salaries of ministers, MLAs and Speaker has been withdrawn just before it was to be tabled in the House.

The four Bills which were withdrawn included Salaries and Allowances of Ministers (Himachal Pradesh) Amendment Bill, 2013, HP Legislative Assembly Speaker and Deputy Speaker’s Salaries (Amendment) Bill, 2013, HP Parliamentary Secretaries (Appointment, Salaries, Allowances, Powers, Privileges and Amenities) Amendment Bill, 2013 and HP Legislative Assembly (Allowances and Pension of Members) Amendment Bill, 2013.

Had these Bills been passed, the CM’s salary would have been up from Rs 39,000 to Rs 65,000 and that of a Cabinet Minister would have increased from Rs 36,000 to Rs 50,000. A minister of state would have got Rs 48,000 instead of Rs 33,000 while a deputy minister would have got Rs 45,000 instead of Rs 32,000. The Bill had also proposed to increase the telephone allowance of ministers from Rs 10,000 to Rs 20,000 and also permit a sumptuary allowance of Rs 30,000 per minister per month.

The Speaker’s salary would have gone up to Rs 50,000 per month from Rs 36,000. The Deputy Speaker’s salary would have increased from 33,000 to Rs 45,000. Their telephone allowance would have gone up from Rs 10,000 to Rs 20,000 besides permitting a sumptuary allowance of Rs 30,000 per month to them.

The salary of Chief Parliamentary Secretaries would have increased from Rs 23,000 to Rs 40,000 and that of Parliamentary Secretaries from Rs 22,000 to Rs 35,000 per month. A sitting legislator would have got Rs 30,000 instead of Rs 20,000.