SRINAGAR: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday announced an increase in the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) and the salaries of Personal Assistants to Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs).
He said that the Speaker would establish a House Committee to periodically review and revise the salaries of MLAs in alignment with those of Members of Parliament.
Speaking in the Legislative Assembly during discussions on grants for departments under his charge, Abdullah said that MLAs’ salaries had not been revised since 2016. He emphasised the need for a structured and transparent mechanism to ensure fair and timely revisions.
“We want to ensure that MLAs’ salaries are increased in a transparent, structured, and automatic manner, following the pattern of Parliament,” he said, adding that the Speaker would constitute a House Committee to determine salary revisions.
In addition to the salary hike, he announced an increase in the CDF for MLAs from Rs 3 crore to Rs 4 crore, “The move was aimed at enhancing development activities at the constituency level.”
“I will also implement it myself,” he told the MLAs while responding to their demand for a salary hike for their Personal Assistants. Acknowledging their role in assisting legislators, he said their remuneration should be revised accordingly.
He further said that CDF guidelines would be aligned with those of the Members of Parliament Local Area Development (MPLAD) scheme to ensure better utilisation of funds. “If further changes to the guidelines are required, we will make them,” he said, assuring that any necessary amendments would be considered to improve the efficiency of development projects. (KNO)
