Changing the pension formula for former members of legislative assembly (MLAs), Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday said lawmakers will get pension for only one term, doing away with the practice of drawing benefit for each term served by them.
“Thousands of crores of rupees which were being spent on MLA pensions will now be used to benefit the people of Punjab,” Mann said.
“Former MLAs in Punjab, irrespective of the number of times they have won, will now get pension for a single term. Family allowances will also be reduced,” said Mann in a video message.
“Some former MLAs are drawing up to ₹5.25 lakh as pension, which adds a financial burden of crores on the exchequer,” Mann said. The CM said the money saved will be spent on the welfare of people.
“Our political leaders, including MLAs, seek votes with folded hands seeking a chance to serve the people, but several MLAs who have won thrice, four times or five times, and then lost the elections or did not get a ticket, get lakhs of rupees in pension per month,” Mann said.
Mann said he had given necessary directions to the officers concerned. An MLA gets a pension of ₹75,000 per month for one term. Thereafter, an additional 66% of the pension amount is given for each subsequent term.
A few days ago, SAD patriarch Parkash Singh Badal, who is an 11-time legislator, had said he will not accept pension as an ex-MLA. The nonagenarian had asked the Punjab government and the Vidhan Sabha speaker to divert his pension towards some social work, “preferably to help some needy girl students in their education”.