New Delhi/Bhubaneswar: The Centre has increased the salary of the Lieutenant Governors of Union Territories made it on a par with the emoluments of secretaries of the central government.
The decision has been taken by the BJP-led central government at a meeting of the Union Cabinet presided by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday.
The Union Cabinet has given its nod for the revision of salary and allowances of Lieutenant Governors of Union Territories and it will be on a par with that of the secretary to the government of India, an official statement said.
The proposal for increasing the pay and allowances of LGs with effect from January 1, 2016 from Rs 80,000 per month plus dearness allowance, sumptuary allowance at the rate of Rs 4,000 per month and local allowances to Rs 2,25,000 plus dearness allowance, sumptuary allowance at the rate of Rs 4,000 per month and local allowances at the same rate as applicable to the officers of the rank of secretary to the central government.
It will be subject to the condition that the total emoluments (excluding sumptuary allowance and local allowances) shall not exceed the total emoluments drawn by the Governor of a state, PTI reported citing the statement.
The decision came two months after Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had announced in his 2018-19 Budget that emoluments of the President would be revised to Rs 5 lakh, Rs 4 lakh for the vice president and to Rs 3.5 lakh per month for the governors, the news agency reported.
Moreover, the judges of the Supreme Court and the 24 High Courts are set to get enhanced dearness allowance, months after they received a nearly two-fold salary hike.
According to a Law Ministry order issued on April 5, the SC and HC judges will get 7 per cent DA with effect from January 1. So far, they were getting 5 per cent DA.
However, the government is yet to take a final call over the demands of the lakhs of central government employees who have been demanding a hike in the minimum pay. They demand for hike in the present minimum pay by Rs 8000 (presently getting Rs 18,000 and demand Rs 26,000), stating that the recommended hike by the 7th Pay Commission is not enough and it must be raised taking into account their financial condition.