CHANDIGARH: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday announced his decision to give just one pension to all law makers. The family pension to MLAs, too, has been slashed.
The decision to reduce the pension was taken in view of many MLAs getting multiple pensions for each term that they serve as representatives of people in the Vidhan Sabha.
This demand of “one MLA one pension” was also made by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the last Vidhan Sabha, when the party was in the Opposition.
Announcing the decision, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann today said that politicians from across the political spectrum go to people with folded hands, seeking votes from people in the name of doing their “sewa”.
“But you will be shocked that those who have been elected MLAs for three, five or even six terms, have been taking away lakhs as pension. They don’t even come to the Vidhan Sabha. The pension they get varies from Rs 3.50 lakh to Rs 5.25 lakh. This burdens the state exchequer. Some of these politicians have even served as members of Parliament and get that pension as well,” he said.