Presently, the MLAs and MLCs are getting Rs 95,000 per month towards salary and perks. This amount is not sufficient on a par with the rising price trend, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao opined at a review meet held with Chief Secretary Rajiv Sarma and others at Secretariat.'I want the MLAs and MLCs to work honestly. In such a situation, we should give them enough salary and hikes too,' Rao felt.MLAs are touring their constituencies and also attending Assembly session in their own vehicles. As some of the MLAs are members of various committees, they also have to attend various meetings and also attend programmes at district headquarters and they incur huge expenditure. In such a scenario, there is every need to increase the salaries of the MLAs, he said.
There are 119 MLAs and 40 MLCs in the State. Of them, there are 36 members of both Assembly and Council who are in cabinet rank apart from the Chief Minister. 'If the government increases salaries to Rs 2 lakh for the remaining 124 members, the burden per month is Rs 2.5 crore and the same comes to Rs 30 crore per year -- Rs 150 crore for five years. Presently, the government is paying Rs 75 crore for five years and there would be an additional burden of Rs 75 crore if the salaries are hiked,' an official release said.
