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Lok Sabha passed a bill for reducing the salaries of Members of Parliament by 30% for one year “to meet the exigencies” arising out of the coronavirus. Bill to reduce MPs’ salary by 30% supported by Members of Parliament and also supported the temporary scrapping of MPLAD funds for two years.
The said Bill is introduced in Lok Sabha to amend the Salary, Allowances and Pension of Members of Parliament Act, 1954.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said “funds are needed to fight the Covid-19 pandemic and pointed out that Members of Parliament Local Area Development (MPLAD) funds have been temporarily stalled for two years”.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said that funds are needed to fight the COVID-19 pandemic and “charity should begin from home”.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said that the economy was affected due to the lockdown, and in such a situation, the government has taken important decisions to deal with the crisis.
Under the scheme, members of both Houses can recommend development programmes involving spending of ₹ 5 crore every year.
In the Salary, Allowances and Pension of Members of Parliament Act, 1954, in section 3, after sub-section (1), the following sub-section shall be inserted, namely:
“(1A) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (1), the salary payable to Members of Parliament under sub-section (1) shall be reduced by thirty per cent for a period of one year commencing from the 1st April, 2020, to meet the exigencies arising out of Corona Virus (COVID-19) pandemic.“