Delhi Assembly passes bill for salary hike of MLAs

New Delhi [India], July 4 (ANI): The Aam Aadmi Party-led Delhi government on Monday passed a bill to increase the salaries of MLAs, ministers, Speaker and Leader of Opposition (LoPs) in the Delhi Assembly.
In Delhi, an MLA presently gets a sum of Rs 54,000 per month as salary and allowances, which is likely to increase to Rs 90,000 after the hike.
"A bill to increase the salaries of MLAs, ministers, Speaker and LoPs has been passed in the Delhi Assembly today. For the last 11 years, MLAs were getting a salary of Rs 12,000, which has now been increased to Rs 30,000.... total salary will be Rs 90,000," Sisodia told media persons after the assembly session today.
Sisodia said that the Delhi government had already passed the bill, but the Centre had few objections seven years ago.
He added, "A lot of discussions on this have been done in the last seven years. The central government had a few objections seven years ago; after incorporating their suggestions, Delhi Assembly has once again passed this bill and hopes for the Centre to pass it."
In May this year, Delhi Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel informed that the salary was increased in 2011, so the government presented the proposed hike to the Centre in 2015 but it was turned down.
"Last time, the salary was increased in 2011, and we presented the proposed hike to the Centre in 2015 but it was turned down. We projected Rs 1,80,000 in 2015. In 2021, the Centre gave a proposal that if the cabinet accepts the proposal then the Delhi cabinet has to give approval," Goel told ANI.
He had requested the Ministry of Home Affairs to compare the salaries with other state MLAs as he claimed many states like Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh are getting around Rs 2 lakh as the total amount.
The two-day monsoon session of the Delhi Assembly commenced today. In view of the prevailing COVID-19 cases, the MLAs will be required to wear face masks compulsorily. (ANI)