Citing inflation and rising expenses, Shaikh said that salaries of corporators should increase every time the government hikes wages of legislators
Samajwadi Party corporator Rais Shaikh has moved a notice of motion to seek higher wages for corporators of the country's richest municipal body, the BMC. Citing inflation and rising expenses, Shaikh said that salaries of corporators should increase every time the government hikes wages of legislators.
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According to sources in the civic body, the proposal, which is likely to draw support from a majority of corporators, will be tabled in a general body meeting soon.
In his proposal, Shaikh said, "Public representatives, such as Members of Parliament (MPs) and Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) get honorarium, pension, houses and travelling allowance from the state and central government. Also, considering the inflation in the country, their salaries are hiked time to time. Corporators work at a local level to provide people some of the most basic facilities. They also travel to different locations in order to resolve people's issues. Following heavy rainfall, tree falling incidents or even fire situations, corporators are the first ones to reach out to the people by rushing to the spot. Currently, corporators are given Rs 25,000 honorarium per month, but it is very low in comparison to what MLAs or MPs receive. Considering the inflation in the country, the corporators' salary in not enough. We should get a salary hike at par with that of MPs and MLAs."
Significantly, in August 2017, the state had increased the salaries of ministers, MLAs and MLCs. As per reports, the salary of a minister was hiked up to R2 lakh per month from R57,000 they used to draw earlier. On the same lines, salaries for MLAs and MLCs was raised up to R1.70 lakh from R75,000 that they received earlier. MPs also got a salary hike, last year.
Speaking to mid-day, a BJP corporator said, "Corporators require a salary hike urgently because the meager wage we draw is hardly enough to cover our regular expenses. We need early revision of pay considering the inflation."
A senior civic official confirmed that once the proposal is passed in the general body meeting, it will be sent to BMC chief Ajoy Mehta for final approval."
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