This Article is From Feb 10, 2016

Taking A Cue From Delhi, Telangana Lawmakers Want A 3-Fold Salary Hike

Taking A Cue From Delhi, Telangana Lawmakers Want A 3-Fold Salary Hike

The lawmakers have told Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao that their salary should go up from the current Rs 95,000 to Rs 3 lakh a month.

New Delhi: The lawmakers of Telangana have demanded a three-time hike in their salary, taking a cue from their colleagues in Delhi.

The lawmakers have told Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao that their salary should go up from the current Rs 95,000 to Rs 3 lakh a month, citing various expenses including travelling, serving on committees, fuel, paying personal assistants, telephone charges and family expenses.

The matter was discussed by the Chief Minister's office on Tuesday against the backdrop of hike in pay for lawmakers in several states, a release said.

The Delhi assembly's recent four-fold hike in basic salary and allowances of its members was also discussed at the meeting.

Observing that MLAs and MLCs have to meet a lot of "political and non-political expenses" every month, the release added that the present salary structure is "grossly inadequate" to meet the actual expenses.

In December, the Delhi lawmakers awarded themselves a hike that took their salary to Rs 3.2 lakh a month plus allowances- the highest in the country.

Though the idea had generated a backlash on social media against the ruling Aam Aadmi Party, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia had said it would help ensure a corruption-free environment among lawmakers. 
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