On the fifth day of the monsoon session, the Rajya Sabha today passed the Salaries and Allowances of Minister (Amendment) Bill 2020. The motion for the discussion on the Salaries and Allowances of Ministers (Amendment) Bill was moved by MoS Home G Kishen Reddy on behalf of Home Minister Amit Shah.
The Bills call for a 30 per cent reduction in salaries of MPs and a 30 per cent reduction in the sumptuary allowance of ministers to aid in COVID-19 response. The discussion on the bill was also clubbed that of Salary, Allowances and Pension of Members of Parliament (Amendment) Bill.
Congress MP Rajeev Satav supported the Bill saying that he is willing to work for Re 1 if that would aid COVID-19 response. He also asked for the Central Vista project be suspended until the coronavirus pandemic ends and criticised the governement’s move to suspend Members of Parliament Local Area Development (MPPLAD) and its handling of the economy. He said that there is no accountability for PMCARES and many other programs. Samajwadi Party MP Vishwambar Prasad Nisha supported the salary cut but objected to the suspension of MPLAD funds. DMK MP P Wilson said the savings made from passing this Bill is less than the amount spent in the process of passing it in the Parliament Houses. “The government is spending Rs 6 crores to save Rs 4 crore,” he said. He also called for the MPLAD fund suspension be lifted, adding that it is astonishing that the government thought it appropriate to suspend the MPLAD fund while the multi-crore Central Vista project is still on.
While all the opposition MPs raised the issues with PMCARES and Central Vista project, BJP’s Shwait Malik in response said that Opposition should not politicise COVID-19.The funds are being used wisely, and for coronavirus response.
TMC’s Dinesh Trivedi said the concept of salary for MPs itself is wrong as it is not a 9 to 5 job. “The credibility of Parliament is in danger. The country is going through a huge crisis. There cannot be a supporter and an opposition. The country is not looking for your salary cut but direction and survival,” he said.
