Punjab government implements 'One MLA, One Pension Scheme'

Taking a historic decision, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday announced “One MLA, One Pension Scheme” to all law makers of the state.

Contrary to the practice followed by the previous governments, the AAP-led Punjab government has decided to give pension to the law makers for only one term (the one that they serve). Besides this, the family pension and other allowances to the law makers including the MLAs, MPs would also be curtailed, claimed CM Mann.

The decision to introduce the “One MLA, One Pension Scheme” was taken in view of many MLAs getting multiple pensions for the terms they served as people's representatives in the state Vidhan Sabha.

The money thus saved, the CM said, would be used on various public welfare schemes .

As the main opposition party in the House, the AAP had raised the demand of “One MLA, One Pension” in the last Vidhan Sabha.

Taking to social media, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said that politicians go to people with folded hands and seek votes from them 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 3.50-5.25 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.

The CM claimed that orders have been issued to the officials concerned to chalk-out a new formula to calculate the pension and other allowances for all the lawmakers.

Currently a Punjab MLA gets a pension of Rs 75,150 for one term and for another subsequent term, he gets an additional 66 per cent of the pension amount.

Meanwhile, Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal have welcomed the step of CM Bhagwant Mann.

Senior congress leader and Olympian Pargat Singh said, “We warmly welcome the decision of "One MLA-One Pension" by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. With such decisions, the burden on the treasury of Punjab will surely be reduced. As the opposition party, we will always welcome good decisions and will also keep on blaming the wrong decisions. The welfare of Punjab is number one for us.”

Senior Akali leader Dr. Daljit Singh Cheema, spokesperson of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), also said that his party welcomes the step if it helps improve the financial health of the state.