Enhancement of Ex-MLA pension to Rs 25,000 per month from Rs 12,000 at present has been approved by the Cabinet at a meeting held on Tuesday night. The pension was last revised five years ago, when the Congress government led by V Vaithilingam was the Chief Minister.
Based on the Cabinet approval, a draft proposal would be sent to Ministry of Home Affairs for approval. There are 80 ex-MLAs who are currently drawing pension.Earlier, Puducherry Speaker V Sabapathy convened a meeting of former Puducherry legislators here last evening to know about their grievances.
According to official sources here on Wednesday, former legislators P K Loganathan, A Gandhiraj, Kathavarayan, Na Ra Kalainathan and Manohar, among others, attended the meeting presided over by Sabapathy.
On the official side, Special Secretary to the government S Sunderavadivelu, Assembly Secretary R Anbazhagan, Dr K V Raman, Director, Health and Family Welfare Department, Tourism Director A S Sivakumar and Director of Information and Publicity Department, K T Alagiri participated.
The former legislators put forth demands such as introduction of a medical insurance scheme for them so that they could get free treatment from private hospitals, free pass in PRTC buses to travel with a companion and concession to stay in Puducherry government guest houses in New Delhi, Chennai, Karaikal and Mahe.