Tamil Nadu MLAs have given themselves a generous hike of Rs 50,000, taking their monthly salaries to Rs 1.05 lakh at a time when farmers from the state have been vociferously protesting for loan waivers.
Apart from the salary hike, the pension of the MLAs has gone up from Rs 12,000 to Rs 20,000, while the local area development fund to develop respective constituencies was increased from Rs 2 crore to Rs 2.6 crore.
The announcement to the effect was made by Chief Minister E Palaniswami in the Assembly on Wednesday.
A similar pitch was made in Parliament when Samajwadi Party MP Naresh Agarwal and Congress MP Anand Sharma demanded a pay hike for MPs.
“Indian parliamentarians are the worst-paid in the world,” former Union minister Anand Sharma said moments before the Upper House took up the crippling farmer distress up for discussion. The heated debate led to several disruptions in proceedings.
Speaking to reporters Agarwal defended the demand. “If journalists and judiciary stop asking for better salaries, we will also stop. Why is it a problem if we get hikes? Why can’t MPs ask for salary hikes if judges can? We have demanded what we deserve under the 7th Pay Commission,” he said.
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