The cabinet also approved a proposal to hike the servant and ministerial allowances of retired Chief Justices and retired judges of the Uttarakhand High Court.The Uttarakhand cabinet on Thursday approved an ordinance to implement deduction of 30 per cent of the salary of legislators in this financial year to manage the Covid-19 outbreak in the state.
The government brought the Uttarakhand State Legislative Assembly (Members Emoluments and Pension) (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020 following allegations from the Opposition Congress that many legislators of the ruling BJP had been contributing less than 30 per cent of their salary.
The state cabinet on April 8 decided to effect a 30 per cent cut in salaries of chief minister, ministers and MLAs and the deducted amount was to be used for management of the pandemic.
After the cabinet meeting Thursday, government spokesperson Madan Kaushik said there was confusion as different MLAs were giving different amounts. “After this ordinance, all Assembly members will give equal amount of 30 per cent from their salaries and allowances till March 31, 2021,” the minister said.
Sources said the government decided to bring the ordinance following allegations from Congress MLAs that BJP legislators were contributing less than 30 per cent of salaries.
Each MLA gets a monthly salary of Rs 2.04 lakh that includes a basic salary of Rs 30,000, constituency allowance of Rs 1.5 lakh, secretarial allowance of Rs 12,000 and equal amount as driver allowance. An amount corresponding to 30 per cent of the total of basic salary, constituency and secretarial allowances — about Rs 57,600 — will have to be paid by each MLA.
The cabinet also approved a proposal to hike the servant and ministerial allowances of retired Chief Justices and retired judges of the Uttarakhand High Court.
The cabinet also decided to implement the Compensation scheme for women victims/survivors of sexual assault/other crimes, 2018 prepared by National Legal Services Authority.