Srinagar: A House Committee constituted by Speaker of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, Abdul Rahim Rather, has recommended a substantial hike in the salaries, allowances, and pensionary benefits of sitting and former legislators, proposing that the monthly remuneration of MLAs be doubled from ₹1.5 lakh to ₹3 lakh.
The Committee, headed by BJP MLA Surjit Singh Slathia, has also suggested increasing the housing loan limit from ₹10 lakh to ₹75 lakh and the car advance from ₹10 lakh to ₹25 lakh. The recommendations are part of the Committee’s detailed report examining the revision of salary and benefits for legislators and ex-legislators, tabled in the Assembly on Monday.
The panel included legislators from across political parties — Ali Mohammad Sagar (NC), Ghulam Ahmad Mir (Congress), Sajad Gani Lone (People’s Conference), Hasnain Masoodi (NC), Mohammad Fayaz (PDP), Pirzada Farooq Ahmad Shah, Arjun Singh Raju (both NC), and Muzaffar Iqbal Khan (Independent).
According to the Committee’s report, the Salaries and Allowances of Members of the Jammu and Kashmir State Legislature Act, 1960, should be amended to enhance the basic salary from ₹60,000 to ₹80,000. The revised structure also proposes additional allowances — ₹1.10 lakh as Constituency Conveyance Allowance, ₹30,000 Telephone Allowance, ₹20,000 Medical Allowance, ₹30,000 Sumptuary Allowance, and ₹30,000 Secretariat Assistance Allowance — bringing the total monthly package to ₹3 lakh.
The Committee has further recommended raising the monthly pay of Personal Assistants to MLAs from ₹12,000 to ₹25,000, and enhancing the pension and allowances of former legislators to ₹1.10 lakh per month. It also suggested proportionate increases in the salaries of the Chief Minister, Speaker, Ministers, and Leader of the Opposition, along with necessary amendments to relevant Acts and rules.
Importantly, the Committee has sought retrospective implementation of these changes from November 1, 2024, the date from which the current members began receiving their existing salaries and allowances.
“The role of a legislator is a full-time responsibility, and at present, they find it difficult to meet growing expenses associated with their public duties. Therefore, a revision of salaries and allowances has become necessary,” the report stated. The Committee said it had examined pay structures across various States and Union Territories before making its recommendations.
Citing the unique geographical and logistical challenges of Jammu and Kashmir, the report emphasized that the current allowances are inadequate, particularly the Constituency Conveyance Allowance, which is crucial for covering expenses related to fieldwork in hilly terrains.
“The people’s representatives serve as the vital interface between the public and the Government. The public needs to realize that their representatives are vital stakeholders in the system and deserve adequate remuneration,” the report noted.
Sources said the Government would take up the proposal for necessary legislative amendments to implement the revisions once the report is formally approved by the House.
