COVID-19: MP Allowances, Pensions Slashed By 30%; MPLAD Funds Discontinued

New Delhi: In view of the situation vis-à-vis the COVID-19 outbreak, the Union Cabinet on Monday approved an ordinance reducing allowances and pension of members of Parliament by 30 per cent for a year from April 1.

It was done by amending the Members of Parliament Act, 1954.

Union minister Prakash Javadekar informed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu and the state Governors have also voluntarily decided to take a pay cut as a social responsibility. “The money will go to Consolidated Fund of India,” he added.

The Cabinet meeting – the first since the novel coronavirus crisis started and held via video-conference — also approved the move to suspend the MPLADS scheme for two years. The sum of Rs 7,900 crore from the above scheme will be pumped into the Consolidated Fund of India and used for nation building, Mr Javadekar said.