Bhopal: After a nine-year hiatus, the Madhya Pradesh government has set the wheels in motion for a significant salary and allowance hike for its 230 MLAs.
It has formed a high-level committee under Deputy Chief Minister Rajendra Shukla to benchmark against neighbouring states and recommend revisions.
The panel, comprising BJP MLAs and officials, is scheduled to convene on November 11 to scrutinise emoluments in states like Maharashtra, Telangana, and Rajasthan — where payouts range from ₹2.5 lakh to ₹3 lakh monthly — against Madhya Pradesh’s modest ₹75,000 per month. This includes basic salaries, constituency allowances, telephone reimbursements, medical benefits, and other perks.
Sources indicate the finance department has already initiated preliminary discussions, with the report slated for Chief Minister Mohan Yadav’s perusal, followed by cabinet approval and tabling in the Assembly.
The move comes amid fiscal strains highlighted in Yadav’s recent letter to the Centre seeking wheat and paddy procurement aid to offset a staggering ₹72,000 crore state debt. Yet, proponents argue the upgrade is overdue. Committee member and BJP MLA Ajay Bishnoi remarked, “Today’s MLAs earn less than government peons, despite their extensive responsibilities and expenditures. It’s untenable; salaries must be rationalised for effective service.”
Echoing the sentiment, BJP leader Ajay Singh Yadav stressed its public value: “Enhancing legislators’ pay is essential for them to focus undistractedly on citizens’ welfare.” The revision could extend to allowances for the Assembly Speaker, Deputy Speaker, and ministers, potentially reshaping legislative incentives in the BJP-ruled state.
As deliberations unfold, the proposal underscores the balancing act between fiscal prudence and political equity in India’s heartland.