Bhopal, Sept 11: The salaries and perks drawn by the legislators from Madhya Pradesh has recorded a rise of 900 per cent during the last 15 years in stark contrast with the pension assigned to the elderly living under poverty line, sources said.
With the development funds sanctioned for the law-makers going up by 300 per cent, the old living below the poverty line still get a pension of only Rs 275 per month, they said.
Of the measly sum of Rs 275, the state government's contribution is Rs 75, while the remaining Rs 200 comes from the Centre.
In the last fifteen years, the salary of legislators has gone up from Rs 1,000 to Rs 10,000 but because of various allowances, the ministers take home Rs 65,000 per month while the MLAs more than Rs 50,000, they said.
The union rural development ministry in its order dated June 30 created two categories for those getting old age pension under the BPL.
Under this, those between the ages of 60 to 79 get a pension of Rs 200 per month while those above the age of 80 get Rs 500.
The Centre also lowered the age for getting pension from 65 to 60 as it is of the view that those who have reached the age of 60 should get the benefit of social pension.
At present 169 lakh persons above the age of 65 years and living below poverty line are receiving Central assistance under Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme. PTI
