Punjab Govt approves ‘One MLA-One Pension’ Bill

Chandigarh (Punjab) [India], August 13 (ANI): Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Saturday announced that Governor Banwarilal Purohit has given his assent to the “One MLA – One Pension” Bill passed by the state legislature in June this year.
“I am very happy to inform Punjabis that Hon’ble Governor has approved the “One MLA-One Pension” bill…Govt has issued notification. This will save a lot of tax for the public,” Mann tweeted.
The Punjab Assembly passed the Punjab State Legislature Members (Pension and Medical Facilities Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2022 on June 30. It was a key promise of the ruling AAP which stormed to power in the state which is facing a substantial debt.
According to the provisions of the new law, an MLA will be given a pension only for one term, no matter how many times the leader has been elected.
The state government aims to save several crores of rupees annually through the move. Earlier, as per the rule, if an MLA won the election three times, his pension would also increase accordingly. A three-time MLA would get thrice the amount compared to a first-timer.
The allowances and perks for legislators are mentioned in the state gazette.
The Punjab Government gazette reads, ” There shall be paid to every person, who remained as a member, a pension of sixty thousand rupees per mensem plus Dearness Allowance thereon (as admissible to the Punjab Government pensioners), irrespective of the number of terms he had served as a member and irrespective of the tenures of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha, in which he had served as a member.”
“Provided that when a person, who had served as a member, attains the age of sixty-five, seventy-five years and eighty years, he shall, respectively, be entitled to an increase of five per cent, ten per cent and fifteen per cent of the basic pension, admissible to him at the attainment of such age,” it further adds. (ANI)