Mizoram Assembly passes bill to increase MLAs’ salary by over 130%

Aizawl: The Mizoram Assembly on Thursday passed an amendment bill to increase the monthly salary and allowances of MLAs by a whopping 130.77%.

The Mizoram Salaries, Allowances and Pension of Members of the Legislative Assembly (Amendment) Bill introduced by Parliamentary affairs minister TJ Lalnuntluanga will hike the monthly salary and allowances of MLAs from the existing Rs 65,000 to Rs 1.50 lakh.

The revised salaries will come into effect once it is notified in the official gazette.

As per the amendment bill, the chief minister would now draw a monthly salary and allowances of Rs 1.84 lakh while the assembly speaker would receive Rs 1.73 lakh. Cabinet ministers and leaders of the opposition would also enjoy monthly salary and allowances of Rs 1.68 lakh.

The deputy speaker would receive monthly salary and allowances of Rs 1.61, according to the new bill passed on the last day of the three-day session. The new bill also sought to enhance salary and allowance of the deputy chief whip and pensions of legislators.

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Ministers of state would enjoy equal pay with deputy chief whip at Rs 1.57 lakh per month and pension of legislators was enhanced from the existing Rs 25,000 to Rs 40,000 per month.

The bill fixed the net salary of the chief minister, speaker, deputy speaker, minister, leaders of opposition, minister of state, deputy government chief whip and the MLAs at Rs 80,000 per month. Those members elected for more than one term would receive an additional pension of Rs 5,000 per month.

Lalnuntluanga, who introduced the amendment bill, said that the salary and allowances of the chief minister, speaker, ministers, deputy speaker and MLAs have to be revised as more than 8 years have lapsed since the last revision.

In view of the exorbitant rise of the costs of living in the present economic scenario, enhancement of the salaries and allowances of the state’s dignitaries is inevitable, he said.

After a prolonged deliberation by the members involving chief minister Zoramthanga, the Bill was passed despite opposition from opposition leader Lalduhoma, who argued that passing such a Bill was indecent at a time when the state government is grappling with financial crisis.