This Article is From Aug 23, 2010

Now Delhi MLAs may get hefty hike in salary

New Delhi: After MPs, MLAs in the national capital may soon get a hike of up to 200 per cent in their monthly salary with Delhi Government making a recommendation following persistent demands by the legislators.

Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit said the hike has been proposed by the Government and after discussing it with the Opposition BJP, the proposal will be sent to the Centre for approval.

"We will discuss it with the Opposition BJP and then the proposal will will be sent to the Centre for approval," she said, refusing to say the quantum of the proposed hike.

The move comes days after the Centre had hiked the MPs' salary to Rs 50,000 per month from Rs 16,000. The Union Cabinet today agreed to further raise their monthly allowances by Rs 10,000.

Officials, familiar with the development, indicated that a hike in the range of 150 to 200 per cent has been recommended by the Delhi Government.

They said as per recommendation, an MLA who currently gets nearly Rs 32,000 monthly, including all incentives, will get around Rs 70,000. The ministers, who now get around Rs 36,000 monthly, are likely to get around Rs 80,000 if the proposal goes through.

Apart from the monthly emolument of Rs 32,000, the MLAs also get a monthly amount of Rs 10,000 for employing computer operators.

"It is an appropriate move. We need hike as cost of living has gone up in the last few years," said a minister who wished not to be named.
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