MPs drop plans to discuss salary hike

NEW DELHI: Facing flak over recommendations for a hefty hike in the salary and allowances of MPs, a Parliamentary panel today shelved plans for discussing the issue and instead asked the government to project its demands in right perspective.

The Joint Committee on Salaries and Allowances of Members of Parliament, headed by BJP's Yogi Adityanath, also decided to hold its next meeting only after the monsoon Session of Parliament amid indications that it could take back a number of its earlier proposals.

Sources said that though the agenda of the meeting was to discuss car loan for MPs, almost half the meeting was dominated by concerns raised by MPs that the issue of their hike in salary and allowances was being projected in a manner "hurting" their image.

"The case of the MPs is not being put up properly. Members expressed concern about it in the meeting," a source said adding that members felt that the government should project the demands of the MPs in right perspective.

While Parliamentary Affairs Ministry has already rejected most of the recommendations of the panel, voices of disapproval have also come from senior leaders of major parties like Congress and BJP.

The monsoon session, which begins on July 21 will come to an end on August 13.