Panel okays hefty hike in salaries of Telangana legislators

Hyderabad: If all goes well, Telangana legislators will get “Bangaru” salaries.
The Telangana Legislature Committee on Amenities recommended a steep hike in legislators’ salaries and pensions of former legislators, besides hike in car loan limit and unlimited medicare.

If the recommendation is accepted, the legislators’ gross salary will go up from Rs 95,000 per month (including allowances) at present to Rs 3.5 lakh per month.

This would mean that the legislators’ monthly salary bill will go up to Rs 5.6 crore from the present Rs 2 crore. Besides, vehicle loans would be hiked from the present Rs 15 lakh to Rs 40 lakh.

There are 120 MLAs and 40 MLCs in Telangana Legislature, besides 292 ex-MLAs, 42 ex-MLCs and 171 widows drawing pensions. The former legislators too are in for a bonanza.

For them, the committee sought a hike in pension from the present Rs 15,000 per month for one term, Rs 20,000 for two terms, and Rs 25,000 for those who served for three terms to Rs 50,000, Rs 60,000 and Rs 65,000.

Spouse of legislators have been getting full pension in case of members’ demise besides unlimited medicare. At present, half of the pension is provided to his or her spouse in case of death of a legislator.

The Committee on Amenities headed by Legislative Council chairman Swami Goud and Assembly Speaker S. Madhusudhana Chary and members met in the Assembly premises and took these decisions. The decisions would be forwarded to the government for necessary action.

Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao had favoured hike in salaries of legislators on a representations from them recently, citing growing expenditure in day-to-day work, visits to constituencies and other counts.

The CM told some legislators that their salaries formed a meagre 0.001 per cent of the Rs 1.15 lakh crore budget. Legislators also sought  housing plots in the city.

“Expenses incurred by legislators in discharge of their duties were far in excess of their salaries. They spend on fuel, bear food expenses of their personal assistants, gunmen and drivers etc. It easily crosses 3 lakh per month,” an MLA said, justifying the hike.

Recently, the Delhi Assembly had passed a resolution proposing a monthly salary of Rs 4 lakh to its members. In 2011, Legislators in undivided AP got a salary hike from Rs 40,000 pm to Rs 90,000 per month. Monthly pension for ex-legislators was also hiked from Rs 15,000 to a maximum of Rs 25,000.