New Delhi, Oct 7: Leader of Opposition in the Delhi Assembly Vijender Gupta has criticised the report of the expert committee on the revision of salary and allowances of MLAs, demanding its review to make it more "rational".
The three-member committee chaired by former Secretary General of Lok Sabha PDT Achary, in its report submitted to Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel, has favoured a 400 per cent hike in basic salary of MLAs from Rs 12,000 to Rs 50,000 per month.
The BJP leader, while reacting to the committee report presented to the Speaker of Delhi Assembly, said, "It is our considered view that the recommendations of the Expert Committee should be reviewed and made more rational keeping in view the ground realities of Delhi and its residents." "MLAs should not fly too high by the AAP Government, they should remain grounded in reality," Gupta said.
"With its unlimited generosity in the matter of pay and allowances for Delhi MLAs, the Aam Aadmi Party Government has become 'Khas' Aadmi Party (KAP)," he said while hitting at the Delhi Government.
Criticising the "manifold" increase in the pay and allowances of MLAs recommended by the committee, he accused the AAP Government of putting a heavy tax burden on the Delhi people.
"There is already an additional burden of 7,000 crores on Delhi's citizens as number of taxes has been increased. It is feared that the expenditure on revised pay and allowances will further put burden on common man," he added.
The committee has also suggested a communication allowance of Rs 10,000 per month as well as Rs 30,000 as monthly conveyance allowance for each MLA.
The 'Daily' allowance of each MLA during every sitting of the House or its committees has been recommended to be hiked from Rs 1,000 to Rs 2,000.
The one-time allowances of MLAs have also been recommended to be increased significantly with one time 'office furnishing' allowance of Rs 1 lakh, Rs 60,000 for purchasing office equipment and a vehicle loan of Rs 12 lakh, which is Rs 4 lakh at present.
The lawmakers' salary was last increased by 100 per cent in September 2011 by the then Sheila Dikshit government, citing inflation and the rise in the cost of living cost.
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