On Tuesday, the Karnataka Legislative Assembly passed laws increasing the salaries and allowances of the Chief Minister, Ministers, and legislators.
Congress members have been holding "day-and-night" protests, in which they spend the night within the Assembly and stage demonstrations from the House well during the day, disturbing the proceedings, which Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has called "irresponsible."
In the middle of the commotion, the House passed the Karnataka Ministers Salaries and Allowances (Amendment) Bill, 2022, and the Karnataka Legislature Salaries, Pensions and Allowances (Amendment) Bill, 2022, as well as the motion of gratitude to the Governor's address. The legislation were moved by the government, citing the fact that they had been languishing for a long time and that there had been a significant increase in the cost of living as grounds. The increases will result in an annual increased expenditure of around Rs 92.4 crore as a result of the hikes.
The bill on Ministers' Salaries and Allowances proposes raising the Chief Minister's income from Rs 50,000 to Rs 75,000 per month, Ministers' salary from Rs 40,000 to Rs 60,000, and their sumptuary stipend from Rs three lakh to Rs 4.50 lakh per year.
It also suggests raising Ministers' house rent allowance from Rs 80,000 to Rs 1.20 lakh per month, as well as increasing the budget for residential maintenance and upkeep and garden layout and maintenance from Rs 20,000 to Rs 30,000 per month. In addition, the government's contribution to their gasoline expenses has been increased from one thousand to two thousand litres.
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