Rajya Sabha on Friday passed two legislations to reduce the salary and allowances of Union ministers and Members of Parliament (MPs) by 30% in view of austerity measures following the Covid-19 pandemic with the support across the political divide even as several members demanded restoration of the MPLADS funds.
Parliament Affairs minister Prahlad Joshi moved the Salary, Allowances and Pension of Members of Parliament (Amendment) Bill, 2020, while minister of State for Home G Kishan Reddy moved the Salaries and Allowances of Ministers (Amendment) Bill, 2020.
Lok Sabha had cleared the bills on Tuesday. Both the bills, which aim to reduce the salaries and emoluments of ministers and MPs in view of the resource crunch because of Covid-19, were passed with a voice vote in the upper house.
Earlier during discussions on the two bills, several members raised questions on the government decision to do away with Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) funds for two years and demanded that the funds be restored, arguing that the money was spent on the needs of the people especially on local demands which would otherwise be ignored.
Leader of opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad said it was praiseworthy that MPs were willing to take a salary cut even though a majority of them were solely dependent on their pay. “I would request that looking at the feelings of MPs, it (MPLADS) should be done away with only for one year and that too only half of it and the rest should be provided to the MPs,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}Leader of opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad said it was praiseworthy that MPs were willing to take a salary cut even though a majority of them were solely dependent on their pay. “I would request that looking at the feelings of MPs, it (MPLADS) should be done away with only for one year and that too only half of it and the rest should be provided to the MPs,” he said.
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