The Punjab government has taken a big decision regarding the pension of MLAs. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Friday announced that former MLAs will get pension for only one term. The announcement of CM Mann is different from the current practice, because till now in Punjab, pension was available for each term. The monthly pension of former MLAs is now Rs 75,000.
Chief Minister Mann, in a video message, said that he has directed the officials to implement the ‘One MLA-One Pension’ scheme. He said that MLAs elected many times are getting lakhs of rupees as pension. Some of them, who have also been MPs, were getting both central and state pensions. This decision will save about Rs 80 crore to the state government.
Bhagwant Mann said that, “MLAs who sought votes with the promise of serving the people got monthly pension of Rs 3.5 lakh, Rs 4.5 lakh and even Rs 5.25 lakh. With the new decision, the government plans to save Rs 80 crore in five years. The money thus saved will be used for welfare schemes.” According to sources, senior Congress leaders Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, Lal Singh and former Akali Dal leader Sarwan Singh Phillaur get Rs 3.25 lakh while Ravi Inder Singh and Balwinder Singh Bhinder get Rs 2.75 lakh per month.
Former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal recently wrote a letter to the government that he will not claim any pension from the government and neither should he be given any pension. He had said that the money should be used for public welfare schemes.