The Delhi Assembly formed a five-member committee on Wednesday to look into the demands for revising MLAs' salaries after Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) legislators raised the issue during a discussion in the House. Additionally, the MLAs also demanded an increase in the number of staff provided to them for constituency-related works and a revision of the remuneration for the data entry operators provided to them. The formation of the panel comes days after the Centre notified a 24 per cent hike in the salaries of Members of Parliament with effect from April 1, 2023, based on the Cost Inflation Index (CII).
BJP chief whip Abhay Verma heads the committee which comprises MLAs Surya Prakash Khatri, Poonam Sharma, Sajeev Jha and Vishesh Ravi. It will submit its report in two weeks, and the time can be extended also as per requirement, he added. In the discussion, several MLAs from the treasury and opposition benches cited their low salaries and pressed for a hike. AAP legislator Anil Jha said that MLAs were given a dignified status with a protocol, but their salaries and perks were much less than even district magistrates and SDMs in their areas.
Salary, allowances of a Delhi MLA
In February 2023, the salaries of the Delhi MLAs were last revised from Rs 54,000 to Rs 90,000 per month. Their basic monthly salary was increased from Rs 12,000 to Rs 30,000. Their constituency allowance was raised from Rs 18,000 to Rs 25,000, while the conveyance allowance was hiked from Rs 6,000 to Rs 10,000. The telephone allowance was also hiked from Rs 8,000 to Rs 10,000, while the secretariat allowance was raised from Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000.
Salary, allowances of CM, cabinet ministers
The salaries of the Chief Minister, cabinet ministers, Speaker, Deputy Speaker, chief whip and Leader of Opposition were also raised from Rs 72,000 to 1.7 lakh. Their basic salary was tripled from Rs 20,000 to Rs 60,000. Additionally, their constituency allowance was raised from Rs 18,000 to Rs 30,000, while the sumptuary allowance increased from Rs 4,000 to Rs 10,000. The daily allowance was also revised from Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,500. They are also entitled to get Rs 25,000 as secretariat assistance.
Furthermore, they also get reimbursement of annual travel with family up to Rs 1 lakh that was earlier Rs 50,000. Rent-free furnished accommodation of Rs 20,000 per month, free use of car with driver or monthly Rs 10,000 as conveyance allowance (earlier Rs 2,000), and free medical treatment.
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