Karnataka legislative session may bring cheers to ministers

The ruling BJP will push for a pay hike for ministers in the 10-day legislative session starting from Thursday.

Though there was a proposal to increase the salaries of MLAs also, the cabinet has not yet decided on giving them a raise.

The state government had planned to table the Karnataka Ministers’ Salaries and Allowances (Amendment) Bill, 2011, in the previous legislative session, but refrained from doing so due to various reasons. The ruling party is now equipped to clear the bills.

Besides this bill, eight others too would be tabled during the session.

The bill, once passed, would see  a quantum jump in the salaries of ministers, with the chief minister’s pay increasing 150% to Rs30,000 from the current Rs12,000. His annual additional allowance would also go up to Rs1.50 lakh from Rs75,000.

The bill would propose to double the house rent allowance of ministers.

If the bill is passed, the ministers’ salaries may double to Rs20,000 from the current Rs10,000, and sumptuary annual allowance would increase to Rs1.50 lakh from Rs75,000 to Rs1.50 lakh.

Opposition leaders Siddaramaiah and C Motamma also stand to benefit from the hike, with their salaries doubling to Rs20,000, sources in department of law said.

The government is expecting the opposition to help pass the Bill. The opposition is likely to clamour for the scalps of the speaker and chief minister, in the wake a recent Supreme Court judgment which quashed speaker KG Boppaiah’s decision to disqualify 16 MLAs, 11 from BJP and the remaining independents.

It may be recalled that a section of MLAs of all political hues had submitted a memorandum to chief minister BS Yeddyurappa, requesting him to raise their salary and perks in view of hike in diesel price.

However, the session has already lost some sheen with the Janata Dal (Secular) deciding to boycott it.