Times of India: New Delhi: Saturday, December 26, 2015.
The
government spent about Rs 147.38 crore for "domestic travel expenses"
of Members of Parliament (MPs) during 2013-14 and it was Rs 135.8 crore during
2014-15.
In response
to an RTI application regarding the annual expenditure incurred by government
in air and rail journeys, government has said the domestic travel expenses not
only includes expenses of air fare but it also rail and road journeys and daily
allowances. "I had sought the exact information to find how much from
public exchequer is spent annually for MPs for their travelling since now they
want their salary and allowances should be increased further," said RTI
applicant Ved Pal.
Citing the
legal provisions regarding such entitlement of MPs, the RTI reply said, "A
member is entitled to an amount equal to the fare by air for 34 single air
journeys during a year performed by him/ her spouse or any number of companions
or relatives."
While the
government has provided the domestic travel expenses for Lok Sabha MPs for two
years - 2013-14 and 2014-15 - in the case of Rajya Sabha members, the details
are available from 2010-11. The reply mentions how the expenditure under this
head was about Rs 42.94 crore in 2010-11, Rs 44.96 crore the next year and
nearly Rs 51 crore during 2012-13 for members of the Upper House.
On July 2,
TOI had first reported how a panel of MPs from both the Houses had recommended
for doubling the pay package for MPs and automatic pay revision as well.
Five years
after parliamentarians gave themselves more than 300% salary hike, the NDA
government seems to be inclined for another rise in the lawmakers' salary.
There were
recent reports of a proposal lying with the finance ministry to double the
basic salary of MPs from Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh per month, constituency
allowance from Rs 45,000 to Rs 90,000 and secretarial assistance plus office
allowance from Rs 45,000 to Rs 90,000.
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