The increase will result in a recurring, additional expenditure of approximately Rs 92.4 crore per annum.
As the budget session of the Assembly ended on Tuesday, Karnataka MPs united themselves for a salary hike of over 40 per cent. The salary and allowances of the Chief Minister, Ministers and MLAs have been increased amid a huge budget deficit of Rs 15,134 crore.
The increase will result in a recurring, additional expenditure of approximately Rs 92.4 crore per annum.
The state assembly on Tuesday passed two bills without discussion – during a brief lull by the Congress amid weeks-long protests. Breaking political boundaries, the legislators approved a hike that would increase their salary from Rs 25,000 to Rs 40,000.
The Karnataka Ministerial Salaries and Allowances (Amendment) Bill, 2022 and the Karnataka Legislature Salaries, Pensions and Allowances (Amendment) Bill, 2022, were introduced by the government, stating that they are long overdue.
The Bill on Salaries and Allowances of Ministers proposes to increase the salary of the Chief Minister from Rs 50,000 to Rs 75,000 per month. The salary of ministers will be increased from Rs 40,000 to Rs 60,000, and the assistant allowance for both will be increased from Rs 3 lakh to Rs 4.50 lakh per annum.
The bill also proposes to increase the salary for the Speaker of the Assembly and the Speaker of the Legislative Council from Rs 50,000 to Rs 75,000. The monthly salary of opposition leaders has been increased from Rs 40,000 to Rs 60,000.
It also proposes to increase the salary of MLAs and MLCs from Rs 25,000 to Rs 40,000 per month.
It also proposes to increase the house rent allowance of ministers from Rs 80,000 per month to Rs 1.20 lakh.
The allowance for maintenance and upkeep has been increased from Rs 20,000 per month to Rs 30,000.
The cost of petrol that the government will bear has been increased from 1000 liters to 2000 liters.
Visiting allowance of ministers has been increased to Rs 2,500 per day.
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