MPs8217; salaries likely to be rationalised soon

An MP gets a measly salary of Rs 4000 per month. But the perks are enormous. They are entitled to a monthly constituency allowance of Rs 10,500 and a monthly staff allowance of Rs 6,000.

They get free housing accomodation in the Capital, besides an allowance of Rs 1 lakh per month for air fare and telephone expenses while Parliament is in session. However, they get a fixed sum for telephone expenses besides complimentary second classairconditioned railway tickets.

The proposal has been mooted to counter allegations that MPs hike their own salaries whenever they want while other salaried people are denied a hike depite adopting agitational means, Mahajan told reporters today.

8220;The alternative could be some sort of pay commission. We may take one rupee more than the salary of a Cabinet secretary or the salary of a Supreme Court judge.

A committee of presiding officers of both houses of Parliament may decide about MPs8217; salary structure besides fixing inflation-based dearness allowance,8221; Mahajan suggested in the Rajya Sabha yesterday.

The Government proposes to pay them a fixed salary, including various perks, instead of providing them freebees of complimentary tickets. Most of the amount and perks given to MPs at present doesn8217;t entail any income tax. But, after having a fixed salary structure, MPs would be supposed to pay tax like other people.