NDA Government to foot Rs 135.8 crore-bill for MP’s domestic travel expenses : RTI 

In response to an RTI application regarding the annual expenditure incurred by government in air and rail journeys, government has said the domestic travel expenses not only includes expenses of air fare but it also rail and road journeys and daily allowances. “I had sought the exact information to find how much from public exchequer is spent annually for MPs for their travelling since now they want their salary and allowances should be increased further,” said RTI applicant Ved Pal.

Citing the legal provisions regarding such entitlement of MPs, the RTI reply said, “A member is entitled to an amount equal to the fare by air for 34 single air journeys during a year performed by him/ her spouse or any number of companions or relatives.”

While the government has provided the domestic travel expenses for Lok Sabha MPs for two years – 2013-14 and 2014-15 – in the case of Rajya Sabha members, the details are available from 2010-11. The reply mentions how the expenditure under this head was about Rs 42.94 crore in 2010-11, Rs 44.96 crore the next year and nearly Rs 51 crore during 2012-13 for members of the Upper House.

On July 2, TOI had first reported how a panel of MPs from both the Houses had recommended for doubling the pay package for MPs and automatic pay revision as well.

Five years after parliamentarians gave themselves more than 300% salary hike, the NDA government seems to be inclined for another rise in the lawmakers’ salary.

There were recent reports of a proposal lying with the finance ministry to double the basic salary of MPs from Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh per month, constituency allowance from Rs 45,000 to Rs 90,000 and secretarial assistance plus office allowance from Rs 45,000 to Rs 90,000.