Uttar Pradesh MLAs demand hike in salaries, increase in size of 'Vidhayak Nidhi'
Currently, the UP MLAs get Rs 2 crore annually to spend on development work of their area. This amount was increased last year.
Published: 27th February 2020 10:50 PM | Last Updated: 27th February 2020 10:50 PM | A+A A-
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath (Photo | PTI)
LUCKNOW: A rare unanimity was witnessed in Uttar Pradesh Assembly on Wednesday when the MLAs belonging both to the ruling and opposition parties, raised their demands for increase in their salaries, and Vidhayak Nidhi (MLA Development Fund) during a debate on state budget 2020-21.
Responding to the demand, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath favoured an all-party committee to suggest works or items for which Vidhyak Nidhi funds can be used.
Yogi urged Speaker Hridaya Narain Dikshit to constitute the committee and many leaders supported the suggestion by raising hands.
Currently, MLAs in Uttar Pradesh get Rs 2 crore annually to spend on development work of their area. This amount was increased last year.
The MLAs also get Rs 40 lakh additional to be paid as GST. Till last year, the Vidhayak Nidhi was Rs 1.5 crore.
However, now the lawmakers are demanding to increase it up to Rs 10 crore per year.
Minister for parliamentary affairs Suresh Khanna, who was of the opinion that such issued should be raised on the concluding day of the session, indicated that the state government may make an announcement on the issues on February 28, the last day of the budget session.
BJP MLA Suresh Srivastava led the members to demand increase salaries and emoluments of the legislators.
Congress Legislature Party leader Aradhna Mishra, SP’s rebel Nitin Agarwal and SP member Narendra Verma, and BSP member Uma Shankar Singh were also among those who demanded an increase in the size of Vidhayak Nidhi.
