GUWAHATI: The state cabinet of Meghalaya has announced to cut down the salary of its MLAs by Rs 8,000.
The decision was announced by the parliamentary affairs minister, MM Danggo, following necessary examination made by the department concerned.
Earlier, during the budget session of the year, salary of the state MLAs was increased to 2.10 lakh. It has now been reduced to Rs 2.02 lakh.
The cabinet’s move is being seen as a gimmick given that Meghalaya will go to elections early next year. But chief minister Mukul Sangma of the Congress has denied that there was any politics involved in the decision.
Mukul Sagma said the decision was taken to avoid hike in the salaries of the chief minister, deputy chief minister and ministers. “The decision was made with a good intention. Please don’t read too much into it,” he added.
The BJP welcomed the cabinet’s decision. “It’s a good decision. The MLAs are getting salaries of Rs.2.10 lakh. If an amount of Rs.8,000 is deducted, they will hardly be affected. But if you multiply the same Rs.8,000 with the total number of MLAs, which in this case is 60, it comes to Rs.4.8 lakh. The amount could be utilised in disbursing the salaries of employees who do not get it on time,” BJP leader David Kharsati told New Indian Express.
“The BJP believes in the economising of anything, however small it could be. We have nothing against the cabinet’s decision. We welcome it,” David Kharsati added.