To ease the burden on the exchequer, Punjab’s new chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday announced a decision to give only one pension to all lawmakers. The family pension of MLAs has also been reduced.
“One MLA, one pension” was the demand of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) when it was in the opposition. The decision to reduce the pension was made because many legislators received multiple pensions in each term to serve as representatives. Of the people of the Legislative Assembly.
AAP leaders Lal Singh, Sarwan Singh Filler and Rajinder Kaur Bhattal get Rs 3.25 lakh per month for sharing some figures of pensions withdrawn by MLAs. Ravi Inder Singh and Balwinder Singh each received a pension of Rs 2.75 lakh per month.
It was Prakash Singh Badal, the father of the Akali Dal who announced his retirement: he received more than Rs 5 lakh a month. “Such figures are an additional burden on the state treasury,” said a senior AAP leader.
Mann said politicians across the spectrum go to the people with folded hands to seek votes in the name of “service” (service).
“But you will be shocked that those who have been elected as MLAs for three, five or even six terms are taking lakhs of rupees as pensions. They did not even come to the assembly. The pension they get varies from Rs 3.50 lakh to Rs 5.25 lakh. This is putting pressure on the state treasury. Some of these politicians have even served as members of parliament and receive that pension, ”he said.
The Chief Minister said that the money thus saved would be used for the welfare of the people. “I have already told officials to reduce the family pensions of all lawmakers,” he added.
MLAs get a pension of Rs 75,150 for one term. For each subsequent term, Punjab MLAs are paid an additional 66 per cent of the pension amount.
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