The Karnataka Assembly passed a bill increasing the salaries and allowances of ministers and MLAs.
Bangalore:
The Karnataka Assembly on Tuesday passed bills increasing the salaries and allowances of the Chief Minister, Ministers and MLAs.
Facing disruption for the fifth day in a row due to protests by Congress legislators demanding the sacking of minister KS Eshwarappa over his statement on the national flag, the session was cut short but before passing two bills without discussion. No.
The session which started on 14th February was actually supposed to end on 25th February. Now it has been postponed till March 4 for the budget session.
Congress MLAs have been protesting ‘day-night’, which made them spend the night inside the Assembly, and during the day from the well of the House, disrupting proceedings, which Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai termed as “irresponsible”. ,
Amid the uproar, the House passed two bills—the Karnataka Ministers’ Salaries and Allowances (Amendment) Bill, 2022 and the Karnataka Legislature Salaries, Pensions and Allowances (Amendment) Bill, 2022, and without assent to the Motion of Thanks to the Governor’s Address. Passed it. any discussion.
The bills were introduced by the government stating that they are long overdue and the cost of living has increased significantly as the reason. The increase will result in a recurring, additional expenditure of approximately Rs 92.4 crore per annum.
The Bill on Salaries and Allowances of Ministers proposes to increase the salary of the Chief Minister from Rs 50,000 to Rs 75,000 per month, the salary of ministers from Rs 40,000 to Rs 60,000 and expenditure allowance for both from Rs 3 lakh to Rs 4.50 per month. lakh per year.
It also proposes to increase the house rent allowance of ministers from Rs 80,000 per month to Rs 1.20 lakh, while the allowance for maintenance and upkeep of housing and layout and maintenance of gardens has been increased from Rs 20,000 per month to Rs 30,000. . Along with this, their petrol cost has been increased from one thousand to two thousand liters by the government.
Visiting allowance of ministers has been increased to Rs 2,500 per day.
Meanwhile, the Bill on Salaries, Pensions and Allowances of the Legislature proposes to increase the monthly salaries of the Speaker of the Assembly and the Speaker of the Legislative Council from Rs 50,000 to Rs 75,000, while the monthly salary of Leaders of the Opposition has been increased from Rs 40,000. 60,000 up to Rs.
It also proposes to increase the salary of MLAs and MLCs from Rs 25,000 to Rs 40,000 per month.
The assistant allowance for the Chairperson and the President of the Council will be increased from Rs.3 lakh to Rs.4 lakh per annum.
All MLAs and MLCs will get Rs 60,000 per month as traveling allowance for the constituency, along with a pension of Rs 50,000 per month.
The bill also proposes the salaries and allowances of the Chief Whips of the government and the opposition.
Placing the Bill for the consideration of the House, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister JC Madhuswamy said, “Since 2015, the salaries and allowances of the Chief Minister, Ministers, Speaker, Deputy Speaker, Speaker, Deputy Speaker have not been revised, the rates of diesel and petrol have been revised. There has been a sharp increase, medical allowance is less and house rent has increased. Keeping all these in mind, we have decided to increase half of the existing amount in all these parameters.” He said, “Similarly, the salary, allowance and TA / DA of MLAs have not been increased since 2015, keeping this in mind we have brought a bill to increase it. Also we have introduced a provision to increase it in the bill. ” Salary and allowances once in five years based on the cost of index like a bill of the central government. That’s why we don’t need to introduce a bill to increase it.” As soon as the proceedings of the house began, Congress members came to the well of the house and started raising slogans demanding action against Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Eshwarappa.
Slogans like – “Down, down BJP”, “Suspend Eshwarappa”, “Eshwarappa desh drohi (traitor)”, “Desh desh drohi BJP government”, “President give justice”, “This government is RSS puppet”, ” We want Constitution, not Manuvaad” – interrupted proceedings among others.
Recently, Eshwarappa had claimed that the ‘saffron flag’ could become the national flag sometime in the future and could be hoisted at the Red Fort.
However, he had said that the tricolor is now the national flag, and it should be respected by all.
After raising the Question Hour amid protests, Speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri allowed two bills to be introduced and passed and then asked the chief minister to reply to the government on the motion of thanks to the governor’s address, amid sloganeering by Congress MLAs.
Hitting out at the Congress, Mr Bommai said, “It is painful, for the first time in the history of Karnataka Legislative Assembly, we are accepting the Motion of Thanks without discussing the Governor’s address. This shows that the opposition is fulfilling its responsibilities. have failed. And have conducted themselves irresponsibly. They are a black mark in the history of our legislature.” “Their conduct shows that they are unfit even to be in the opposition. They are doing this for politics and it is against the interest of the people. We will go before the people and tell them about the “conduct” of the opposition Congress. I will tell. He said.
Noting that there is a tense situation in the state and educational institution campuses, Mr Bommai said, “The government is committed to implement the interim order of the High Court (on the issue of hijab and uniform).
In such a situation, the opposition should join hands and give the message of unity. A youth has died in Shivamogga, how should the opposition behave… What is your (Congress’s) contribution in maintaining peace?” mentioned. .
He pointed out achievements in the fields of labor welfare, health, investment flow, infrastructure facilities in urban areas including Bengaluru, irrigation, welfare of SC/ST.
Despite their repeated requests and efforts to bring order to the House, as Congress members continued to protest raising slogans, Speaker Kageri adjourned the House till March 4.
“All my efforts—by making requests and calling leaders’ meetings—have failed to end the deadlock. Five days’ session wasted, three more days will also be wasted,” he said, expressing dismay. Said happened.
(Except for the title, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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