Bills to reduce salary, allowances of MPs, Ministers by 30 per cent moved in Rajya Sabha

New Delhi: Union Ministers G Kishan Reddy and Pralhad Joshi moved the Salaries and Allowances of Ministers (Amendment) Bill, 2020 and the Salary, Allowances and Pension of Members of Parliament (Amendment) Bill, 2020 in the Rajya Sabha on Friday.

Speaking in the Rajya Sabha, the Minister of State (MoS) Home Affairs said that he was moving the Bill on behalf of Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

"To control this pandemic and provide relief the Centre is working on all angles. Under this amendment, there will be a deduction of 30 per cent in the salaries and allowances of MPs, Ministers from April 1, 2020, to March 2021. I urge all MPs to unanimously pass this Bill," Reddy said.

Followed by this, Pralhad Joshi moved the Bill which seeks a reduction in the salary of the MPs.

Congress MP Rajeev Satav supported the Bill and further said that the Centre should even think about cutting the salaries and allowances for a longer period and even on a token salary of Rs 1 per month.

He, however, said that the MPLADS Fund should not be taken away from the MPs, as that is what allowed the leaders to work in their constituencies.

Earlier the Rajya Sabha passed Homeopathy Central Council (Amendment) Bill, 2020, moved by Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan.