RAJ DALUJA
JAMMU: Just three days ago, Jammu and Kashmir Government introduced a bill– Jammu and Kashmir state legislature (Amendment) bill 2018 — in the Legislative Assembly, proposing 100 per cent hike in their sitting allowance, taking it to Rs 2,000 from the present Rs 1,000. It is only a matter of time for the bill getting through because thus far, never ever, any legislation, benefitting the lawmakers, has met hostile weather. Four years ago, precisely in 2013, the sitting allowance had been doubled from Rs 500 to Rs 1,000. Section 10 (17) of the Income Tax Act, 1961 provides exemption to Members of Parliament and State legislators in respect of their daily allowances in entirety. Therefore, this is an added respite to the lawmakers.
In between 2013 and 2018, the salaries and allowances of ‘honourable’ lawmakers, both Members of Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council, had almost been doubled-again without any roadblock. On June 30, 2016, the bill proposing doubling salaries and allowances of the legislators was approved unanimously by the Legislative Assembly, taking their salaries from Rs 80,000 per month to Rs 1,60,000 per month and effecting massive hike in the salaries of the Chief Minister, Ministers and Ministers of State. Subsequently, it increased pension of former legislators from Rs 28,000 per month to Rs 50,000 per month, which too was close to the 100 per cent hike.
The word ‘unanimity’ (with which the legislators’ salaries and allowances bill was passed) is unique in the Jammu and Kashmir State Legislature, which usually witnesses ruckus, walk-outs, adjournments and even fights on various issues, not necessarily concerning the people. The viewership of a video clipping, showing a former presiding officer and a former minister exchanging choicest invectives and abuses, is even now adding up on the social media, especially YouTube.
With such convergence (about their own pay and allowance hikes) despite the overall divergence (on all other issues), the question arises about hypocrisy, which almost touches the boundaries of morality, of many lawmakers, who have never shown similar magnanimity in getting nearly a lakh casual and seasonal workers, adhoc and contractual employees regularised notwithstanding the fact that some of them have been working for decades together and advancing to their fifties in age. The fact remains that most of these workers or employees were engaged on the recommendations of most of the legislators or legislators turned ministers despite ban on such engagements from time to time.
The ‘honourable’ legislators have never shown any unanimity in getting the issues pertaining to employees with regard to implementation of Pay Commissions or periodical Dearness Allowances implemented or released timely. They have got their due only after strenuous agitations and taking to streets. On the contrary, the legislators of different hues, who don’t see eye to eye each other, remain on same page when it comes to their own interests. None of them even raises the bogey of ‘disputed nature of Jammu and Kashmir’ or ‘legitimacy of accession’.
Ostensibly, the legislators have been seeking enhancement in their allowances and salaries citing inflation or whopping jump in cost of living as the compelling reason. They are also getting substantial funds for maintaining various services like telephones though the cellular companies offer packages which run just in hundreds. But, do they ever take into consideration the impact of rising prices on poor employees, unemployed and poor-segments of population.
Constituency Development Fund is yet another issue that has remained under debate for various reasons. Those against such a fund to legislators substantiate their arguments that once the plans of their areas are being formulated with the consent of elected representatives, why should there be other head to undertake ‘works’ as per priorities fixed by them. The members have been seeking enhancement in the CDF but no sincere effort is being made to bring more accountability and transparency in its utilisation. Why shouldn’t e-tendering of this fund be insisted by the legislators’ themselves to offset various apprehensions and suspicions in the public mind.
Due to persistent demand of ‘honourable’ legislators, the PDP-BJP government on May 17, 2017 doubled the Constituency Development Fund of lawmakers by raising it from Rs 1.5 crore to Rs 3 crore, putting an additional burden of Rs 187 crore on the state exchequer annually.
The unanimity among legislators over enhancements in perks and other pursuits is a classical example of self over others- the hapless people.