Chennai: The Tamil Nadu government has come into limelight once again as a bill to double the salaries of Tamil Nadu MLAs will be tabled in the Assembly on Wednesday.If passed it will come into effect from this Thursday even as the state reels under a crippling strike by transport workers for better wages.
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The bill takes the new pay packet of Tamil Nadu MLAs to Rs 1.05 lakh per month, a 90.91% hike over their earlier salary of Rs 55,000. It also hikes the ‘MLA Constituency Development Scheme’ fund allocation to Rs 2.50 crore from Rs 2 crore. Similarly, pension for former MLAs and members of the now-defunct Legislative Council will be increased to Rs 20,000 from the present Rs 12,000.
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Chief Minister E Palaniswami had made the announcement in July, inviting criticism at a time when the state’s farmers were protesting in Delhi for loan waivers and better minimum support price. The government is likely to invite fresh criticism over the bill, this time from transport unions that have been on strike for better wages.
Meanwhile, 17 trade unions on strike include those affiliated to the opposition DMK and the Left.