`Achhe Din' for MPs: panel moots 100% salary hike for parliamentarians

`Achhe Din' is here, at least for members of Parliament; a parliamentary panel has recommended doubling of pay and a big hike in pension of former MPs. The panel headed by firebrand Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Yogi Adityanath also proposed fresh hikes in allowances and perks of MPs.

The panel has recommended increasing the pension of elected representatives from Rs20,000 to Rs50,000, an increase of over 150 per cent.

Besides, the panel recommended raising the daily allowance of Rs2,000 for MPs, which they get during Parliament sittings and proposed 20-25 free air travels in a year.

The parliamentary panel also proposed an automatic pay revision mechanism all MPS similar to the pay commission for government employees.

As per the report, the Adityanath-led panel has put forward at least 60 recommendations, including an additional free AC first class ticket to be provided for MP's companion, such as their personal secretary.

The panel has also recommended extending the health benefits given to the MPs to their children and grandchildren as well.

The committee has reasoned that the last revision of MPs salary took place in 2010 and they don't get any dearness allowance like government employees.

Recently, it was revealed that Indian parliamentarians, with average earnings of Rs1.4 lakh per month along with perks, enjoy heavily-subsidised sumptuous meals povided by the Lok Sabha Secretariat to run the Parliament canteen.

However, BJP leader MP Rajiv Pratap Rudy on Wednesday said that it is wrong to show only the elected representatives in poor light, as around 5,000 people eat in there.

In fact, the meals at the Parliament canteen are so heavily subsidised that fish fry with chips comes at Rs25, mutton curry is available for Rs20, mutton cutlet for Rs18, a masala dosa for Rs6 and boiled vegetables for just Rs5, as per information received under the Right to Information (RTI) Act.