New Delhi: A Parliamentary panel looking into the issue of salaries and allowances of MPs has made a number of recommendations beyond the scope of the Act under which it is supposed to frame rules, prompting Parliamentary Affairs Ministry to set the matter right.
When contacted, a panel member, however, downplayed the issue, saying that “with the changing times and changing situations”, a number of provisions need a re-look and the “committee has been making suggestions beyond the remit of the Act” for quite some time, some of which were accepted by the government and some not.
A large number of recommendations of the Joint Committee on Salaries and Allowances of MPs headed BJP member Yogi Aditya Nath have already been rejected by the government. One such recommendation of the panel this time was for donating money to public as per desire (Swechhanudan for public), which was discussed in the panel meeting on December 15 last year.
The panel noted that since the issue was out of the ambit of the Committee it may be referred to Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs for appropriate action. The ministry, which had earlier put the recommendation in “not agreed” category, explained the reason later when asked to do so and noted “this is not covered under The Salary, Allowances and Pension of Members of Parliament Act 1954 and this ministry is not concerned with this subject.”
Another recommendation was for providing quota to MPs for grant of hand-pumps, construction of roads and installing solar lights in their constituency. Informing the panel that the Parliamentary Affairs Ministry has sent the recommendation of the Committee to concerned ministries for consideration, the government also pointed out “the subject matter is beyond the scope” of Act governing the salary, allowances and pension of MPs and rules made thereunder.
The panel also wanted electrification to be carried out in places recommended by an MP in his or her constituency. The government sent the recommendation to Power Ministry asking it to “keep it in mind” while taking a decision regarding electrification of places in their constituency but explained “the subject matter is beyond the scope” of the Act. The Joint Committee was constituted to frame rules under the Salaries and Allowances of Members of Parliament Act, 1954.
The introduction of the Committee on Lok Sabha website says that the panel is empowered to make, after consultation with government, rules on matters specified in sub section (3) of section 9 of the Salary, Allowances and Pension of Members of Parliament Act, 1954 (as amended).
Sub section 3 section 9 of the Act pertains to regulation in matters of details of the payment of travelling and daily allowances and pension under the Act, constituency allowance, provision of medical, housing, telephone, water, electricity facilities and the amount which may be paid by way of repayable advance for the purchase of conveyance, the rate of interest thereon and the mode of recovery of such amount and interest thereon.
Under the powers vested in it, the Committee has made various rules related to Housing and Telephone Facilities, Travelling and Daily Allowances, Medical Facilities, Allowances for Journeys Abroad, Constituency Allowance, (Advance for the Purchase of Conveyance) and Office Expense Allowance) between 1956 and 1988.
In its meeting on February 10, the Committee discussed in detail why some of its recommendations were rejected and how the government was proceeding in the matter of enhancing salary and allowances of the MP. Government has rejected demands of MPs for making provisions for housing loan, saying these should be left to be explored from the market but is open to considering their demand for enhancement of car loan, which is at present fixed at Rs 4 lakh.
The Ministry for Parliamentary Affairs had also put in “not accepted” category other demands like making provision for official vehicles to MPs and cabin for them in Parliament House Premises. However, when the Committee asked it to submit detailed reasons for non-agreement or non-acceptance of the recommendations, the ministry put the ball in the court of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, saying these issues pertain to the Secretariate of the two Houses.
It has also rejected the panel’s demand for facility of department canteen for MPs on the lines of defence canteens/ super bazaar. The government also rejected the panel’s recommendation to issue diplomatic passports to ex-MPs.
As per Article 106 of the Constitution, salaries of MPs are determined by an Act of 1954, amended from time to time. The last revision was made in 2010 during UPA II rule under which the lawmakers get a basic salary of Rs 50,000 per month.
Salaries of Members of state legislatures are decided as per Article 195 of the Constitution. MPs are also entitled to government accommodation, air travel and train travel facilities, besides three landline and two mobile phones. They also get a loan of Rs 4 lakh to buy a vehicle.
