Opposition members demand MLA pensions to continue

LUCKNOW: Members of opposition in the UP Assembly today criticised the policy of discontinuing payment of pensions to former MLAs if they become Members of Parliament and demanded the state government to carry on paying the entitlement.

The matter came up during Zero Hour through a question of propriety raised by Congress member Pramod Tiwari who said that pensions of former MLAs were stopped as soon as they joined Parliament and that "should not be done".

"This (stopping of pension) should not be done. Pensions to former MLAs should be continued even if they become MPs. Such a practice is in place in other states," Tiwari claimed.

BJP leader Hukum Singh and cabinet Minister Om Prakash Singh also supported Tiwari and endorsed the call for a positive decision in this regard.

Speaker Mata Prasad Pandey said that the government should hold a meeting of legislators to discuss the issue and arrive at a decision.