Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Tuesday witnessed a ruckus in the House on the last day of the budget session of the Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly. He said that on the wrong information about increasing the allowances, some people are writing such comments that when there is no pension to the employees then why to the MLAs. On this, the CM said that such employees should quit their jobs and contest elections and become entitled to pension. The CM said that he often says very straightforward things. Rejecting in the House the talk of increasing the accommodation and traveling allowance of MLAs, he said that he feels that it is wrong to behave in this way against the institution of MLAs. It may be noted that during the budget session, the employees across the state had created a lot of hue and cry to restore the old pension scheme.
After the Question Hour ended, Congress MLA Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu raised the issue of increasing the allowances of MLAs under Point of Order. He said that due to increase in the allowances of MLAs, there is a lot of humiliation among the people. The image of the MLAs is being tarnished among the people by the talk of increasing the amount for excursions. Sensation is being spread intentionally. He demanded the Speaker to take strict cognizance of the matter and the Chief Minister to intervene in this matter. Congress MLA Asha Kumari also demanded action in this matter. Speaker Vipin Singh Parmar gave the order that this is a matter of concern. Cognizance will be taken in this matter. will be processed.
Chief Minister said that MLAs have to go to Delhi and Chandigarh for treatment and other related works. Sometimes rooms are not available in government residences. In such a situation, there was an arrangement of expenditure up to Rs 7500 for the MLAs to stay in private hotels. It will be real now. That is, now it will not have this limit. Even in a five star hotel, room is available for up to Rs 5000. The annual expenditure limit for travel has already been raised to Rs.4 lakh. There has been no increase in this. He said that most of the MLAs have not even spent this money. CM said – We have extracted all the data, ninety percent of the money is not spent. It remains with the government.
