HYDERABAD: The Telangana government on Friday increased honorarium for representatives of rural and urban local bodies. As a result, a Zilla Parishad chairperson, who had been drawing `7,500 honorarium till now, will get `one lakh per month from April 1.
Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, in a statement in the State Legislative Assembly on Friday, said, “The Panchayat Raj and Urban Local Bodies play a vital role at the grassroots of our democracy. Although there was a long pending demand from elected representatives in these local bodies, previous governments had never considered their request. With a view to improve the dignity of local representatives and improve their services to the people at the grassroots level, the government has decided to enhance the honorarium paid to them.” The CM said though Zill Parishad chairpersons were given the rank of a minister, their honorarium was just `7,500.
The revised pay means, ZPTC members and MPP presidents will now get `10,000, MPTC members `5,000 and sarpanches too `5,000. Among urban local body representatives, the honorary salary is hiked from `14,000 to `50,000 for mayors, to `25,000 from `8,000 for deputy mayors and `6,000 from `4,000 for corporators. Panchayat Raj Minister KT Rama Rao had earlier hinted at pay hikes.