Karnataka legislators give themselves a hike in salary, allowances citing increase in “cost of fuel, essential commodities”

The Chief Minister will now be paid a salary of Rs.75,000 (up from Rs.50,000) while Cabinet Ministers will receive a salary of Rs.60,000 (up from Rs.40,000). The Speakers of the Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Council will receive Rs.75,000 (up from Rs.50,000), while Deputy Speakers are now entitled to Rs.60,000 (hiked from Rs.40,000).

Governor Thaawar Chand Gehlot addressing a joint session of the Karnataka legislature, in the Vidhana Soudha on February 14.

The Karnataka Ministers Salaries and Allowances (Amendment) Bill, 2022, was passed in the Legislative Assembly on February 22. It seeks to hike the salaries of the Chief Minister, Ministers, Speaker, Deputy Speaker, Leader of the Opposition, and legislators by 50 per cent.

Speaking after tabling the Bill, Minister of Law and Parliamentary Affairs J. C. Madhuswamy, said, “Salaries and allowances have not been revised in the past seven years. The cost of fuel and essential commodities has increased tremendously since then. This decision to hike the salaries and allowances is being taken in this context. According to the rules framed by the Central government, allowances of Ministers and legislators will be revised every five years in the future. There is no need to bring a separate Bill for this purpose once again.”

The Chief Minister of Karnataka will now be paid a salary of Rs.75,000 (up from Rs.50,000) while Cabinet Ministers will receive a salary of Rs.60,000 (up from Rs.40,000). The Speakers of the Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Council will now receive Rs.75,000 (up from Rs.50,000), while Deputy Speakers are now entitled to Rs.60,000 (hiked from Rs.40,000). The Leader of the Opposition’s salary has been hiked to Rs.60,000 (from Rs.40,000). All legislators will be paid a salary of Rs.40,000 now which is an increase from Rs.25,000 that they are now getting. These monthly salaries do not include generous allowances, which have also been increased. For instance, the annual sumptuary allowance paid to the Chief Minister and Cabinet Ministers for entertaining guests has gone up from Rs.3 lakh to Rs.4.5 lakh now.

The hike in salaries and allowances will cost Rs.25.4 crore a year to the State exchequer.