Poorest MP says no to salary hike

Harishchandra Chavan from Nashik, who has assets worth Rs 15 lakh, says he was ashamed of the drama created by his colleagues in the Parliament

By: Sanjeev Devasia Date: 2010-08-24 Place: Mumbai With a double hike in salary in two weeks one would expect Harishchandra Chavan, Maharashtra's poorest Parliamentarian to be on top of the world. Harishchandra Chavan But while his crorepati counterparts celebrated yesterday after the Union Cabinet approved a hike of Rs 10,000 in allowances that too within days of getting a three-fold raise in salaries, Chavan seemed disappointed. Ashamed No he did not want more money. In fact, he did not want a hike in the first place. "I am ashamed of the drama created by the MPs for an increase in pay. I do not want a hike in salary and allowances," said Chavan, a Member of Parliament from Dindori (Nashik). More funds In a state where 38 out of the 48 MPs in Lok Sabha and 13 out of the 18 MPs in the Rajya Sabha are crorepatis, Chavan is the poorest with his total assets standing at Rs 15 lakh. But despite this, all Chavan wants is more allocation of funds towards the Member of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLAD), which will help him bring about development in his constituency, which is reserved for the Scheduled Tribes. "Please don't put all the MPs in one bracket. I was among the many MPs who did not make any demands when the drama unfolded in the Parliament over the hike in salaries and allowances," said Chavan. "People have a lot of expectations from us, which we are not able to meet with the present funds allotted to us. I have been demanding more funds for development of constituencies even in the party forum and not a salary hike." According to him, an MLA gets a constituency fund of Rs 1.5 crore, while an MP gets Rs 2 crore. "This is unfair as an MP is in charge of six Assembly constituencies. With the present funds, an MP is able to allocate a meager Rs 34 lakh for a single Assembly constituency," he said. Humble living Unlike most netas who live in plush bungalows, Chavan lives in a humble two-room kitchen apartment in Nashik. And this, after being in politics for over two decades. "I have been a member of Zilla Parishad for 14 years. During this tenure I held the position of the chairperson for 10 years and the president for a few years." "I was an independent MLA for some time, after which I have been elected to the Parliament twice. But this is all I have earned," he added. Poor MPs club >> Charandas Mahant of the Congress, who was elected from Korba constituency in Chhattisgarh, is the poorest MP in the country, who has net assets of only Rs 12,000. >> Another Congressman N Peethambara Kurup, elected from Kollam constituency in Kerala, follows with assets amounting to just Rs 1,50,600. >> Lingam P of the Communist Party of India, elected from the Tenkasi constituency in Tamil Nadu, has assets amounting to Rs 1,59,365. What MPS get >> Rs 14,000 for office expenses every month, which includes Rs 3,000 for stationery items, Rs 1,000 on franking of letters and Rs 10,000 for secretariat services >> A monthly constituency allowance of Rs 10,000 >> A daily allowance of Rs 500 during the three Parliament sessions >> A daily travel allowance of Rs 8 per kilometre. When an MP travels abroad officially, he is entitled to free business class air tickets. He is also paid a daily travelling allowance, which varies depending upon the country being visited >> Each MP and his spouse or companion are entitled to unlimited, free, first class railway travel anywhere in the country. They can also travel anywhere in India with a spouse or companion 40 times by air in the business class free of cost every year >> An MP gets a sprawling bungalow in the heart of New Delhi for which he pays a rent of just Rs 2,000 per month. He gets near-free electricity of 50,000 units every year and free water >> MPs are entitled to three phone lines and 1,70,000 free local calls every year >> Most medical expenses of MPs are taken care of by the Contributory Health Service Scheme of the Union government >> After an MP completes a term in office, he is entitled to pension. The basic monthly pension amount is Rs 3,000. But it goes up according to the number of years an MP has served in Parliament.

Poorest MP says no to salary hike