Thiruvananthapuram, July 17: Kerala assembly today referred to the subject committee two bills seeking to increase monthly allowances and pension of MLAs without any amendments. Introducing the bills, Information and Parliamentary Affairs minister M M Hassan said increase in allowance was marginal and it should not be construed as a "huge hike". He said the decision to increase the dearness and telephone allowance by rs 1000 and travelling allowance from rs 2.50 to rs 4.50 per kms was taken after considering the overall price hike for various items in the last few years. The present hike was after a gap of six years, he added.
Justifying the increase, Hassan said salaries and allowance of MLAs in the state was less compared to what their counterparts were drawing in other states. Additional expenditure per year due to the increase was rs 43.91 lakh.
Speaker Vakkom Purushothaman said the bills were introduced after a consensus on the issue.

Bureau Report.