Bangalore corporators set to get a pay hike after 13 years

In the midst of all the muddle that corporators have been falling into, here’s some news that they can cheer about. All corporators of the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike, including the mayor and deputy mayor, will receive a whopping 1,000% hike in the honorarium.

The last time that the Palike council members received a revision in the honorarium was 13 years ago in 1997. The council has approved the revised pay scale and is awaiting the state government’s nod.

Ruling party leader BS Satyanarayana submitted a detailed list of the revised honorarium and other benefits for the mayor, deputy mayor and corporators, a copy of which is available with DNA.

“In 2006, the council tried to revise the pay, but it was not approved by the state government. We have now sent a request to the government for approval,” Satyanarayana said.

“The honorarium that we receive now is extremely low; just Rs1,500. However, prices of almost all commodities have risen. With the low pay that we get now, it is difficult to do any public service. Hence, we have proposed a revised pay scale and hope the government approves it,” he said.

“Bangalore has expanded its boundaries and there are 198 wards now. If a corporator has to travel from Yelahanka to the council for a meeting, he has to spend at least Rs300 on petrol for his car. How will he/she ever be able to run the house and travel to the council in just Rs1,500 a month? It is impossible,” said BJP corporator BV Ganesh.

Jayamahal corporator Gunashekar said that mayor SK Nataraj had sent the proposed pay scales to the Palike commissioner Siddaiah, who will write to the chief minister in this regard to get the final nod.