Decision taken despite repeated thrust on austerity measures
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Dec 1: Notwithstanding repeated thrust on austerity measures in Government spending keeping in view poor financial condition of the State, the PDP-BJP Coalition has enormously hiked motor car advance, housing loan and travelling allowance of the legislators with immediate effect.
The decision has enhanced resentment among the Daily Rated Workers, Home Guards and Anganwari Workers who have been protesting un-relentlessly for regularization of their services and hike in honorarium. Moreover, the step has received sharp criticism from the Government employees and pensioners, who have been denied benefits of 7th Pay Commission on the ground of funds constraints.
In exercise of powers conferred by Section 5-B of the Salaries and Allowance of Members of the Jammu and Kashmir State Legislature Act, 1960, the Governor has directed that in Rule 2 of the Motor Car Advance (to the members of the State Legislature) Rules, 1987, the words and figures “Rs 5 lakh” shall be substituted by Rs 10 lakh”, reads SRO-488 dated November 30, 2017 issued by the Department of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs.
With this, all the 122 legislators (89 MLAs and 33 MLCs) would now be entitled to motor car advance up to Rs 10 lakh instead of earlier entitlement of Rs 5 lakh, which is 100% hike, official sources said.
Similarly, in exercise of powers conferred by Section 10 of the Salaries and Allowance of Members of the J&K State Legislature Act, 1960, the Governor has ordered amendment in the Rule 2 of the Housing Loan (to the Members of State Legislature) Rules, 1988.
By way of this amendment, the entitlement of the legislators for housing loan has been increased to Rs 10 lakh against earlier entitlement of Rs 5 lakh, sources said while disclosing that this loan would be available to the legislators at the interest rate of 4% per annum.
Likewise, the Government in exercise of the powers conferred by Section 4-AA of the Salaries and Allowances of Members of the J&K State Legislature Act, 1960 has amended Rule 3 of the Travelling Allowance (to the Members of the State Legislature) Rules, 1999. With this amendment, the travelling allowance of the legislators has been increased from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 1.50 lakh per annum.
“Every member and/or any member of his/her family shall be entitled to travel any time and in lieu of such travel such member shall be entitled to a reimbursement up to Rs 1.50 lakh in a financial year on production of railway receipt/railway ticket or air ticket as the case may be”, read amended Rule 3.
“The journey undertaken and concluded in a particular financial year against which no reimbursement has been claimed by the member in that particular financial year may be paid for in the succeeding financial year(s) against unspent balances of the particular financial year to which journey pertained if savings to that extent were available against the total entitlement of Rs 1.50 lakh”, read Note 1 of the Rule 3.
The decision will put huge burden on the State exchequer that too at a time when the Government is laying enough thrust on the austerity measures in Government spending keeping in view poor financial condition of the State, sources said.
It is pertinent to mention here that Finance Department vide Circular dated October 25, 2017 had ordered austerity measures in order to promote fiscal discipline and a set of instructions were issued for compliance by all the Government departments and bodies funded by the Government.
“The decision has been taken on the instructions of the Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, who had made commitment in this regard in the Budget Session convened in June 2016 at Srinagar”, sources said while justifying the decision.
According to the sources, the decision has sent a shock wave among the Daily Rated Workers, Home Guards, Anganwari Workers and other similar sections of workers, who have been protesting un-relentlessly for regularization of their services and hike in honorarium.
“The decision has also received sharp criticism from the Government employees and pensioners who have been demanding implementation of 7th Pay Commission”, sources said, adding “it is not understandable as to how the Government can justify hike in allowances and other benefits to the legislators despite facing financial crunch”.
“It seems that financial crunch is only for the workers, employees and pensioners and for legislators the Government doesn’t have shortage of funds”, sources remarked.
Follow our WhatsApp channel