Punjab Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal has given himself the maxium hike of 100 percent.
Punjab Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal today announced a salary hike for all the lawmakers of the state, giving himself the maximum hike of 100 per cent. He will now draw a double salary - from Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh per month. His new pay package comes after the state government today announced a salary hike for all the lawmakers of the state.
Mr Badal, 87, while justifying the hike, said "The last salary revision was done more than 4 years ago in 2014. But even after this revision most will be making lesser than their counterparts from Haryana or Himachal Pradesh."
Leader of Opposition Sunil Jakhar, who will also take home an increased pay, is critical of the government. He says, "the government should have first taken care of the employees who have not been paid salaries for months. Legislatures should have been the last ones to get such benefits."
Deputy Chief Minsiter Sukhbir Singh Badal, Leader of Opposition Sunil Jakhar, Speaker and the Deputy Speaker, who draw Rs 30,000 per month will now be paid Rs 50,000 every month.
Apart from Mr Badal, salaries of Chief Parliamentary Secretaries have also been doubled - from Rs 20,000 to Rs 40,000 per month.
The government has also increased salaries and pensions of serving and former lawmakers by Rs 10,000. They will now be paid Rs 25,000 per month.
The Punjab government, whose expenditure exceeds its revenue by Rs 6394 crores, will now have an added expense of Rs. 5.99 crores per annum.