For the 822 former MLAs and MLCs plus 750 survivors that are dependent on them, the monsoon session of the state legislature came as a windfall. On Friday, the state assembly passed a bill in favour of hiking their monthly pension to Rs 40,000 within minutes of being tabled in the house.

The hike, which will add an annual burden of Rs 30 crore on the state exchequer, is startling, as the neighbouring state of Gujarat doesn’t pay even a single rupee to its former legislators. Maharashtra offers the highest pension to its MLAs and MLCs and the amount is more than what a former Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha member makes – Rs 20,000 a month.