HP CM justifies mega pay hike for MLAs, says it was 'required'

Justifying the bumper 100 per cent pay hike for Himachal Pradesh legislators, state Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh said that the hike was 'required' as it was part of essential expenditure, adding that the increase in perks would help them to deal with the increasing inflation.

"It's after a long time in Himachal Pradesh that the legislators have received a hike in salary. This is part of essential expenditure and it was required," Singh told the media here.

The Chief Minister said that in states like Himachal Pradesh it was the need for legislators as for employees the 7th pay commission is on cards and that after 25 sittings the assembly session has been concluded today.

The Salary of legislators has been increased from existing Rs. 30,000 to Rs. 55,000 and allowance from Rs. 5000 thousand to Rs. 15,000, Constituency allowance is increase from Rs. 60,000 to Rs. 90,000, office allowance from Rs. 10,000 to Rs. 30,000, allowance for data entry operator from 12,000 to 15,000 Indian rupees per month

The parliamentary affairs minister of the Assembly, Mukesh Agnihotri said that this was a demand coming from the MLAs and it is need of the hour. He said the states like Himachal Pradesh does not have the issue of corruption. He said that this has been passed by the assembly.

Daily allowance is increase from Rs. 1500 to Rs. 1800, which makes approximately 10,000 INR per month water and power bills unchanged at Rs. 5,000, road mileage to increase from Rs. 15 per kilometer to Rs. 20 kilometer.

Another jerk to the poor economy is hike in the pension from Rs. 22000 to Rs. 36,000 per month. Free travel allowance is also increased from Rs. 2lakh to Rs. 2.5lakh annual.