Demand for early wage revision for legislators

Samajwadi Party MP Naresh Aggarwal on Tuesday raised the issue in Rajya Sabha of implementation of recommendations of a Parliamentary Committee headed by Yogi Adityanath on wages and allowances of MPs.

Demanding an early implementation, Mr Aggarwal said the Prime Minister has reportedly set up a group of ministers to look into the report of this committee. Questioning the need for setting up the panel, he said it was previously stated that the report will be implemented along with the 7th Pay Commission for government employees.

Now that the 7th Pay Commission report has been implemented, the report on salaries and wages of Members of Parliament should be decided upon, Mr Aggarwal said. Since MPs are above Cabinet Secretary, the legislators should be given `1,000 more than what the highest bureaucrat draws, he said.

“There is no point in forming a Group of Ministers. Place the committee report in the House,” he demanded. As several other members supported his demand, deputy chairman P.J. Kurien said: “I am not sure if all members are in agreement (with the proposition of they themselves deciding on the hike in their salaries and allowances).”