Honest MLAs can't manage family, constituency with low pay, says AAP

NEW DELHI: Coming under fire from opposition parties for the proposed increase in salaries of MLAs, Aam Aadmi Party openly welcomed the recommendations of the independent committee saying that the existing pay of Rs 12,000 was too low for legislators to make ends meet. Delhi convenor Ashutosh said, “For an honest MLA of any party , it's impossible to sustain the family and run the constituency office with such a meagre salary .Dishonest don't need salary .“ Even party MLAs expressed satisfaction with the proposal, though some felt that a debate was required to do away with certain unnecessary components like the Rs 3 lakh per annum leave travel allowance.

In face of the criticism targeted at the party and government since the recommendations were announced on Tuesday , the strongest defence came from the fourmember panel which drafted the recommendations. Prasanna Kumar Suryadevara, member secretary of the committee and secretary of the legislative assembly , said that while the committee was happy with the debate generated by its report much of the criticism was misplaced.

“Concerns have been expressed that if all the recommendations proposed by the Committee are implemented, then Delhi MLAs could become the highest paid legislators in the country . Since 2014, the basic salary of MLAs in Assam is Rs 60,000 per month. Our recommendation is to raise the salary of Delhi MLAs to only Rs 50,000 per month. The constituency allowance being paid to legislators in Goa at present is Rs 90,000, despite the fact that it is an assembly smaller in terms of membership as well as population represented per MLA than Delhi. Our recommendation for constituency allowance is Rs 50,000 only,“ Suryadevara said.

The committee clarified that Delhi as sembly is perhaps the only legislative body in the country where members are not entitled to official rent-free accommodation or house rent allowance. Along with hike in salary , we have also recommended that the current practice of reimbursing domestic electricity and water bills be done away with.

“The single largest chunk in our rec ommendations is of Rs 70,000 per month for office research secretarial assistance to be paid through cheque or electronic transfer. It has been proposed that the amount be reimbursed to an MLA only on production of receipts from those who are employed by himher under this head. It has been projected that this amount also goes into the pocket of MLA.Minus this, the total amount that we recommended on account of salary , constituency allowance, transport allowance and communication allowance comes to Rs 1.40 lakh only,“ said Suryadevara.

He added that the committee is of the firm belief that the elected representatives should concentrate on public welfare and should not be bothered with how to make their ends meet. “The fact to be remembered is that the committee only made recommendations. It is now for the assembly's concerned committee and the government to take a decision,“ he said.