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Punjab cabinet clears decks for CM, ministers to pay own income tax
The tax being paid by the government on this account stands at Rs 11.08 crore, of which the bulk of Rs 10.72 crore is for MLAs who are not covered by this decision.
The Punjab cabinet has cleared amendments to two legislations to make chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh and his ministerial colleagues to pay income tax on their salaries themselves, beginning March 2018. At present, payment of their income tax is done from the state exchequer.
The cabinet had on February 15 passed a unanimous resolution to make this change, which would help generate “considerable savings” in the state exchequer, a spokesperson said. The tax being paid by the government for legislators stands at Rs 11.08 crore, of which the bulk of Rs 10.72 crore is for MLAs who are not ministers, hence not covered by this decision yet.
The draft amendment bills for relevant changes to The East Punjab Ministers’ Salaries Act, 1947, and The Salaries and Allowances of Deputy Ministers, Punjab, Act, 1956, will be presented in the budget session of the assembly, beginning Tuesday. Being in the rank of cabinet minister, the leader of opposition will also come under the ambit of the new legislation.
