By IANS
Ranchi : Legislators in Jharkhand are planning to increase their salaries for the fourth time in seven years.
An assembly committee led by Congress MLA Pradeep Kumar Balmuchu has proposed the increase.
If the recommendation is passed by the assembly, legislators’ salaries will go up to Rs.60,000 a month from Rs.42,000.
The proposed salary of legislators include increasing daily allowance from Rs.500 to Rs.1,000 a day and hiking the monthly basic salary from Rs.4,000 to 5,000, medical allowances from Rs.2,000 to Rs.3,000, entertainment allowances from Rs.3,000 to Rs.4,000, and constituency allowances from Rs.4,000 to Rs.8,000.
A legislator’s salary also includes other perks like a personal secretary and free stationery.
When Jharkhand was carved out from Bihar, legislators were paid Rs.18,000 a month including all allowances. Since then salaries have been hiked three times.
Jharkhand legislators have also been provided free laptops.
Besides salary, a legislator enjoys facilities like free railway and air travel and monetary help to buy vehicles.
Deputy Chief Minister Sudhir Mahto says: “If legislators and ministers are not prosperous, how can they serve people?”