PANAJI
The Goa cabinet on Wednesday approved big hikes in allowances and other perks for members of the legislative assembly (MLA) and Chief Minister Pramod Sawant is expected to move the bill to accordingly amend the Goa Legislative Assembly Members Salary, Allowances and Pension Act, 2004, on Thursday, the concluding day of the ongoing monsoon session.
The most stark increase was in the ‘advance’ MLAs are entitled to buy a new personal vehicle. Hitherto, they were eligible for a Rs 15-lakh advance (interest-free loan) which will now be hiked by a whopping 166% to Rs 40 lakh. Also, the monthly fuel quota of 300 litres is being increased to 500 litres.
Also increased to Rs 40 lakh is the upper limit of the advance (interest-free loan) MLAs will be entitled to either buy or build a new house. It is currently Rs 30 lakh.
An increase in daily allowances paid to MLAs when the House is in session from the current Rs 3,000 to Rs 4,000 per day is also envisaged and will be part of the bill Sawant will pilot on Thursday.
On tours and travels outside Goa, the MLAs will now be permitted to avail accommodation at the rate of a maximum of Rs 12,000 per day as against the current Rs 7,500.
There is news to cheer for all former MLAs as well as their pensions will more than double.
Earlier, former MLAs were entitled to a pension calculated in terms of a formula which said: Rs 15,000 for the first year of their membership plus Rs 2,000 for every additional year they spent in the house to a maximum limit of Rs 70,000.
Now, with the amendment approved by the Cabinet and which in all likelihood is expected to get the nod of the House on Thursday, ex-MLAs can get a pension of up to Rs 2 lakh calculated with the following formula: Rs 30,000 for the first year plus Rs 4,000 for every subsequent year of membership of the House.
Meanwhile, the upper limit of the reimbursement of medical treatment costs to MLAs has also been hiked. Earlier, the Speaker had the authority to sanction an amount of up to Rs 3 lakh to MLAs which is now hiked to Rs 5 lakh. Any medical expenditure of MLAs above the Rs 5-lakh limit is referred to a specially designated committee.
Interestingly, indications of a hike in the allowances and perks to the legislators had come early in the current monsoon session when Margao MLA, Digambar Kamat, a former chief minister, had placed the demand in the House during one of his speeches.
Kamat had justified the demand for an increase in salary and pension of the netas arguing that the government had not revised it for several years.
Additionally, the amendment approved by the Cabinet to the law governing the salaries and perks of the politicians also provides for more personal staff for the MLAs.
They were allowed to appoint five employees in their office “ one private secretary, one clerk (LDC), one constable and one driver. They will now be entitled to an additional clerk, and a personal assistant.
