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A parliamentary panel has pitched for a 100 per cent hike in salary and daily allowances of MPs and 75 per cent raise in pension of ex-MPs apart from facilities for their “companions” in place of “spouses”.
In far-reaching recommendations, the panel, headed by BJP MP Yogi Adityanath, has sought a doubling of the existing ₹50,000 salary of MPs and favoured increasing the pension of former parliamentarians from ₹20,000 to ₹35,000. The panel has also recommended that the daily allowance of MPs of ₹2,000 for attending the House during Parliament sessions be doubled to ₹4,000.
First class
It is learnt that some ex-MPs who appeared before the panel rued that while they are given a first class train ticket, their companions, even if it is the spouse, can travel only second class.
The panel is learnt to have recommended that both ex-MPs and their companions be given first class tickets.
Besides, the panel is of the view that ex-MPs should be allowed to travel by air five times a year in economy class. The sitting MPs are allowed to fly executive class around three dozen times a year.
The panel also noted that since MPs are considered above the rank of Cabinet Secretary, their privileges should also match their status. It also pitched for healthcare benefits to married children of MPs.
Sources said some of these recommendations recorded in the minutes of the meeting of the committee have already been submitted to the Parliamentary Affairs Ministry, while some others will be finalised in the next meeting on July 13.
The salaries and perks of the MPs were last revised in 2010. CPI(M) member KN Balagopal has suggested that MPs themselves should not decide their salary and allowances and that it should be done through an independent mechanism.
The reason put forward for replacing the word “spouse” with “companion” is that many MPs are unmarried or spouseless otherwise.
According to the rules, MPs are allowed to travel first class on trains and draw TA, DA equivalent to the cost of a single AC second class ticket.
Panel members felt since there is no first class in trains now, they should be given AC first class fares as allowance.
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