CM, Ministers, Legislators Help Themselves to Hefty Salary Hike!

From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore

Bangalore, Jun 7: People may groan under steep inflation and also reel under frequent increases in petrol prices as well as almost all essential commodities. But, unfortunately, the elected representatives of the people have their own problems, needs and requirements and even priorities.

Thus, the principal opposition Congress party in both houses of Karnataka legislature saw nothing wrong in boycotting the session, even though they were bound to voice the grievances of the people before the powers-that-be and force the ruling party to try and mitigate them. The other opposition party, JD(S), also boycotted the session.

And both the opposition parties decided to boycott the session to press their demand for the resignation of Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa and Assembly Speaker K G Bopaiah over what they termed as the ''strictures” from the Supreme Court in the disqualification of 16 MLAs, which has been quashed. The ruling BJP, which never loses an opportunity to attack the Congress-led UPA regime at the national level, saw nothing wrong in getting the budget proposals for the year 2011-12 running into thousands of crores of rupees passed without even a modicum of discussion in the absence of the opposition parties and also getting over half a dozen important bills passed.

Incidentally, the Legislature session, which commenced the extended budget session on June 2 and expected to last till June 15, was abruptly curtailed as the Yeddyurappa regime managed to complete its business without any scrutiny.

As if this was not enough, the ruling party brazenly passed a legislative bill granting the Chief Minister, the Ministers, Assembly Speaker-Deputy Speaker, Council Chairman-Deputy Chairman, Government Chief Whips in both houses as well as all the MLAs and MLCs an hefty hike in salaries and other allowances.

Given the clear majority enjoyed by the ruling BJP in both the Assembly and Council and the lack of any opposition in the two houses, all the elected representatives of the people will be richer while the people themselves will continue to suffer under inflation, price rise and high cost of living.

Sample the effect of the legislative bill that was passed before the sine-die adjournment of the legislature session: The Chief Minister will have his monthly salary go up two and half times. The pay packets of Ministers and Legislators would double.

As per the Karnataka Ministers Salaries and Allowances, Act, 1956 (Karnataka Act 5 of 1957), which got the approval of the Assembly, the Chief Minister’s monthly salary will now be Rs 30,000 as against Rs 12,000 so far.

Similarly, Cabinet Ministers' salary would go up from Rs 10,000 to Rs 25,000 and that of Ministers of State from Rs 8,000 to Rs 16,000. It is a moot point that there are no Ministers of State in Karnataka in the Yeddyurappa ministry. However, many of the Chairmen of Boards and Corporations enjoy such rank while several others are given Cabinet minister’s ranks and perks.

Salaries, House Rent Allowances, Conveyance Allowances and the rates of Travelling Allowance and Dearness Allowance have also been revised upwards.

''There is a considerable increase in the cost of living. The salary of Chief Minister, Ministers, Ministers of State and Deputy Chief Ministers have not been revised since a long time,” said the statement of objects and reasons in the Amendment Bill.

With the opposition Congress and JD(S) boycotting the Assembly proceedings demanding the resignation of Yeddyurappa and the Speaker K G Bopaiah over a recent Supreme Court verdict on MLAs' disqualification case, the bill was passed without debate.

The "sumptuary allowance" of Rs 75,000 per annum being drawn by Chief Minister and Cabinet Ministers, has now been doubled to Rs 1.5 lakh.

House rent allowance of Ministers has been doubled to Rs 40,000 a month, while conveyance allowance which was equal to the cost of 500 litres of petrol per month, raised to 750 litres. Cost of petrol required for their respective motor cars in excess of the cost of 750 litres of petrol would be
paid by the Government.

Simiarly, travelling and other allowances of Cabinet Ministers, Ministers of State and Deputy Ministers on tours have been enhanced.

The House also passed the Karnataka Legislature Salaries, Pensions and Allowances (Second Amendment) Bill, 2011 which amended principal act enacted in 1956 (Karnataka Act
2 of 1957), which among others raised the monthly salary of MLAs and MLCs from Rs 10,000 to Rs 20,000.

Similarly, the salary of Assembly Speaker and Legislative Council Chairman has been raised from Rs 12,000 to Rs 30,000, while also raising the conveyance allowance. Travelling and daily allowances of the legislators have also been hiked.

How much would the hike in salaries and allowances cost the State Exchequer? There would be an approximate annual expenditure of Rs 2.5 crore on the Chief Minister alone, according to the Bill.

With the Chief Minister himself being the finance minister, who bothers about such things?

Still, if anybody wonders about the total financial burden on the State Exchequer, which of course has to be footed by the tax-payer, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister S Suresh Kumar, who is also holding additional charge of Urban Development, gives this answer: A cool Rs 23.47 crore per annum.

Well, that is the price of democracy!