SRINAGAR: Recently elected members of legislative assembly will not get their handsome salary and other perks this month. Reason, they have yet to take oath of office.
Since a hung verdict and little progress in government formation forced Governor NN Vohra to promulgate his rule in the state some 85 men and two women elected to the Assembly could not take their oaths, leaving them unable to draw salaries, claim perks, help voters or intervene in governance.
Economic Times quoting an unnamed MLA reported Friday that after working for three months round the clock and spending a lot of resources these MLAs are desperately waiting for the oath-taking.”
The newly elected legislators are missing out on government accommodation in Jammu and Srinagar, a salary of Rs 90,000 a month, free fuel and medical cover, a liberal travel allowance, Rs 5 lakh as interest-free housing loan, Rs 1 lakh for an annual family trip, and access to a constituency development fund of Rs 1.5 crore a year, the report said.
However the report said as of now, MLAs can be only entitled to a pension of Rs 29,000 a month if fresh elections are held.
“We were voted by the people and they want us to work,” said a fresher from PDP.
“We tell them the assembly is in suspended animation but that is something they least care about.” One MLA said his expenses on serving tea to visitors were well over Rs 3,000 a day! The situation is especially bewildering for 56 first-timers, the report said.
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