BUTWAL, July 30: The members of the Province 5 assembly are all set to see hike in their pay and will get one personal assistant (PA) each as two bills to this effect tabled in the provincial assembly on April 24 were approved by the Economic, Business and Tourism Committee of the provincial assembly.

The committee presented the approved bills to the provincial assembly on Friday. The committee has also proposed increasing the allowance for furniture, meeting, transport, fuel, communication, and travel of the provincial assembly members.

Previously, the assembly members had demanded an increase in their salaries and appointment of PA during their discussion of the bills.

“Addressing their demand, we have decided to appoint PAs, who will act as a bridge between the people's representatives and the people,” senior member of the committee, Amar Bahadur Dangi said.

The furniture allowance of Rs 15,000 included in the bill has been tripled to Rs 45,000. The province will have to pay a total of Rs 3.6 million in furniture allowance alone. The electricity and drinking water bills of the ministers are paid by the provincial government while the assembly members will get Rs 1,500 per month for water and electricity. Their meeting allowance has been increased to Rs 1,000 from Rs 700 [whip will get Rs 1,500] while transport allowance has been fixed at Rs 500 per meeting.

According to the proposal of the province, a total of 33,600 liters of fuel per year will be needed for the ministers, office bearers of the assembly, and the presidents of provincial committees.

The chief minister is provided vehicles and residence on need basis while ministers are provided residence and a vehicle each. Other provincial members are provided Rs 1,000 per month as residence allowance. The chief minister and the speaker will receive Rs 2,500 and assembly members will receive Rs 2,000 as allowance for internal visits on a daily basis.According to the bills, the chief minister will be paid Rs 60,970 and provincial ministers Rs 52,000 as salaries. The salary for state minister has been fixed at Rs 47,000. Likewise, the speaker of the assembly will receive Rs 53,000 and deputy speaker and leader of the main opposition will receive Rs 50,000 as salary. If the bills are passed by the assembly, the province will have to pay a total of Rs 48.1 million in salary in five years and there will be an increase of Rs 100 million in the expenditure on the allowances and perks of the lawmakers excluding their residence and vehicle facilities.

 
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