Come elections, perks rain for the legislators in Jammu and Kashmir

Aam Aadmi can wait but legislators cannot! Omar Abdullah-led government has opened the purse strings of the cash-strapped state for the lawmakers of Jammu and Kashmir. Club class international travel facility, 100% increase in the daily allowance, car and housing loan facilities et al is lined up for the legislators in the cash strapped state.

"The government has decided to allow the members to fly by Business/Club Class on international flights. The government has also enhanced the daily allowance for the members from Rs500 to Rs1,000 per sitting (of legislature session)," said Saifullah Mir, J&K law and parliamentary affairs minister while replying to the discussions on demands of grants in the Legislative Assembly.

If it was not enough, the government also announced that they were seriously considering increasing the car and housing loans for the legislators. "The government is considering enhancing the car loan and housing loan from Rs2.5 lakh to Rs five lakh," said Mir.

The fresh doles come two years after Jammu and Kashmir government increased the allowances by 100% to the lawmakers. Under the 2012 package, a legislator's travel allowance was increased to Rs one lakh from Rs50,000 per annum. The hike in the allowances was in addition to the salary of Rs 80, 300 per month that was fixed in 2011.