Key Points :
- Parliament passed bills on reducing the MP salaries by 30% for a year
- The Bill has been passed by Minister of State for Home G Kishan Reddy and Parliament Affairs
minister Prahlad Joshi - The reason behind this is to meet the requirements of the ongoing Pandemic
- The Bill passed with a voice vote.
Parliament passed a bill on Friday to reduce the salaries of Members of Parliament (MP’s) by 30 percent for one year. This bill has been passed “to meet the essential needs arising out of the COVID-19 pandemic”. The bill was passed in Rajya Sabha with a voice vote (the yes and no method).
Several ministers demanded the restoration of the Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) funds even as two legislations to reduce the salary and allowances of Union ministers and Members of Parliament (MP) were passed in Rajya Sabha.
Lok Sabha had passed the Salary, Allowances and Pension of Members of Parliament (Amendment) Bill, 2020 bill earlier this week.
The Upper House also passed the Salaries and Allowances of Ministers (Amendment) Bill, 2020, which proposes to reduce the salaries and allowances of ministers by 30 per cent for a year.
Saying the concerned funds were spent on the needs of the people, especially for local demands which would otherwise be ignored, several members of Parliament questioned the government’s decision to do away with MPLADS funds for two years.
Minister of State for Home G Kishan Reddy moved the Salaries and Allowances of Ministers (Amendment) Bill, 2020 whereas
“The idea of this Bill was not just to save money, but a matter of principle,” Reddy replied to the criticism from the members.
Parliament Affairs minister Prahlad Joshi moved the Bill to amend the Salary, Allowances and Pension of Members of Parliament Act, 1954
Noting that charity should begin at home, Joshi said,
“We have to be role models for our country.” Joshi also clarified that the savings from the Bills is at least 53.83 crores.
