6-digit salaries, pensions, benefits: Here is how much J&K’s new Ministers, MLAs would be paid

9 September 2024

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Srinagar, Sept 9: J&K’s new legislators and ministers, after the culmination of the Assembly elections this month, would receive salaries, pensions, medical, travel, telephone and other benefits based on the 2016 rates. The 2016 rates are based on a bill introduced by the then Finance Minister Haseeb A. Drabu, which doubled the salaries and pensions of J&K’s legislators and ministers.

Senior officials in know of the matters told Ziraat Times that J&K’s legislators and ministers shall draw their perks based on the “Salaries and Allowances for Members of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislature Act, 1960”, which has been amended after the J&K Re-Organisation Act, 2019 to allow for the revised salaries and perks.

However, a few former legislators who spoke to Ziraat Times on the matter maintain that the due to the immense rise in the cost of living in the last eight years, the salary and pension rates need to be enhanced to adjust to the 2024 inflation and not 2016 prices.

“The salaries and pensions were indeed doubled in 2016, however, looking at today’s inflation, the payments are meagre and would barely cover legislators’ and ministers’ personal expenses”, said a former minister.

As per the “Salaries and Allowances for Members of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislature Act, 1960” provisions, here is a detailed summary of the present salaries and pensions for Members of the J&K Legislative Assembly (MLAs) and various ministerial positions:

Salaries and Allowances for Legislators (MLAs):

₹1.6 lakhs per month for each MLA. This amount represents a doubling from the previous salary of ₹80,000 per month, which was doubled in 2016.

Pensions for Former Legislators:
Former MLAs and MLCs now receive ₹50,000 per month, up from the previous ₹28,000. So when the term of the new Assembly would end, the MLAs would also be entitled to ₹50,000 per month. Medical Allowance: An additional ₹5,000 per month is provided for medical expenses.

Salaries for Ministers
Chief Minister (CM): Base Salary has been increased from ₹45,000 to ₹70,000 per month.Total Compensation (including allowances, the Chief Minister’s salary now stands at ₹1.15 lakh per month)

Cabinet Ministers: Base Salary has been raised from ₹40,000 to ₹65,000 per month. Total compensation with allowances, makes the total monthly salary of ₹1.1 lakh per month.

Ministers of State: Salary was enhanced from ₹35,000 to ₹60,000 per month in 2016. In 2024, new MoS would receive the same salary.

In addition, the Salaries and Allowances of Members of Jammu & Kashmir State Legislature Act, 1960 (Act No. XIX of 1960), tweaked after 2019, also provides for the following benefits and terms and conditions:

1. Salaries and Daily Allowances:

If a member fails to attend at least 90% of the meetings in a month (or after being elected during a month), they won’t receive their salary unless they provide a valid reason such as illness or another valid cause.

This salary starts either from the date a member is declared elected, or from when the vacancy they are filling occurs.
Members also receive a daily allowance of ₹2,000 when attending sessions or committee meetings.

If they miss meetings but explain their absence satisfactorily, the allowance is adjusted:
– Full allowance for the first six days of absence.
– Half allowance for the next twelve days.
– No allowance for any further absences beyond eighteen days.

2. Travel Allowance:

Members are entitled to travel allowances for attending sessions or committee meetings –

For road journeys, they get ₹9 per kilometer traveled between their residence and the session location, provided the distance is more than eight miles.

For air journeys within Jammu and Kashmir, they receive 1.5 times the standard airfare, with additional compensation if traveling through a neighboring state.

For rail journeys, members receive 1.5 times the first-class fare or the actual cost of a first-class air-conditioned coach ticket.

Members can also opt to travel by road even if the route is connected by rail, but the travel allowance must not exceed what would be paid if they had traveled by rail.

3. Other Allowances:

Constituency Conveyance Allowance:

Members receive ₹60,000 per month to cover travel expenses within their constituency.

Telephone Allowance:

Members get ₹30,000 per month for phone expenses.

Medical Allowance:

Members are provided with ₹10,000 per month for medical costs. Additionally, they and their dependent family members are entitled to medical treatment, including reimbursement for medical care within or outside the Union Territory.

4. Special Travel Entitlements:

Members or their families are allowed to travel by any mode of transport up to a certain distance, as specified by the government.

5. Allowances for Intervals and Absence:

Members can receive daily allowances during brief adjournments (less than 7 days) between continuous sessions. If they travel home during this period, they get either daily or travel allowances, whichever is less.
If a member is absent from a session due to being ordered to leave, they won’t receive a daily allowance for that period.