Double salary for Prez, V-P in offing

NEW DELHI: The government is planning to hike the salary and post-retirement benefits of the president, vice-president and governors.

The Cabinet on Thursday is likely to consider a proposal to double the president's salary from Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh a month. The vice-president and governors are in for a more than two-fold increase in their salaries - from Rs 40,000 to Rs 85,000 and Rs 36,000 to Rs 75,000 respectively.

The post-retirement benefits of the three top constitutional functionaries will also be rationalised. The president last got a raise in 1998 when Parliament amended the Presidents Emolument & Pension Act 1951 and the hike was made effective from January 1, 1996.

Currently, the president is entitled to a pension of Rs 3 lakh per annum for the rest of his life, which is also proposed to be raised.

Sources said that if the cabinet clears the proposal, after retirement, a president would be allowed to retain five staff members instead of four, with a salary of Rs 12,000 each per month.

Courtesy: www.timesofindia.com