Become MP, become rich

How much salary does an MP get every month? What about the perks and allowances that come along with it? How much does an MP have to spend every month out of his or her salary? How much money can an MP save every month? Article 106 of the Constitution of India provides that members of either House of Parliament shall be entitled to receive salaries and allowances as may from time to time be determined by Parliament. The Salary, Allowances and Pension of Members of Parliament Act which was enacted in 1954 in pursuance to the constitutional provision, governs the salaries and allowances of the members. With effect from April 1, 2018, MPs’ salaries, daily allowances and pensions have been cumulatively increased by Rs 55,000 to reach Rs 127,000 per month. A report released by Election Watch and Association of Democratic Reforms has said that while the salary and allowances of our MPs have increased over the years, the average assets of our MPs have also increased. According to the report the average assets of 153 MPs who were re-elected in 2014 grew by 142 per cent. Three MPs – Shatrughan Sinha, Pinaki Mishra and Supriya Sule – have been found sharing the top honours. The report also revealed that the average asset growth for 153 MPs in five years (from 2009 to 2014) was Rs 7.81 crore. The independent public research groups arrived at these figures by comparing the financial details submitted by the 153 MPs who were re-elected in 2014.The study also found that average assets of these members of Parliaments in 2009 were Rs 5.50 crore which increased by more than double to Rs 13.32 crore. Among these MPs, the increase in assets of actor-turned poliytician Shatrughan Sinha has been the most amazing and brow-raising. His assets were only Rs 15 crore in2009; it went up to Rs 131 crore in 2014. Likewise, the assets of Pinaki Mishra of Biju Janata Dal (BJD) registered an increase from Rs 30 crore in 2009 to Rs 137 crore in 2014; this means his assets increased by Rs 107 crore in five years. Mishra’s father Loknath Mishra, it may be recalled, was a Governor of Assam, who used to also practice tantra and used to offer treatment to patients in the Guwahati Raj Bhavan every Sunday. The third highest jump on the other hand was registered by Supriya Sule of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP); her whose assets went up from Rs 51 crore in 2009 to Rs 113 crore in 2014. The list of top ten MPs with net worth increase also included Maneka Gandhi’s son and BJP MP Varun Gandhi. He had shown his assets to be only Rs 4 crore in 2009 which jumped to Rs 35 crore in 2014. Taking a look at the MPs from a partywise angle, the report said 72 BJP MPs showed an average jump of Rs 7.54 crore while 28 Congress MPs had an average rise of Rs 6.35 crore in their assets. Congress president Rahul Gandhi’s assets went up from Rs 2 crore in 2009 to Rs 7 crore in 2014. Among the Assam MPs whose assets grew significantly is Badruddin Ajmal; his assets grew by 43 per cent from Rs 30.35 crore in 2009 to Rs 43.27 crore, a clear jump of Rs 12.92 crore. That of Paban Singh Ghatowar, who lost in 2014 and is being renominated this time, increased from Rs 97 lakh in 2009 to Rs 4.92 crore; the increase in percentage is 402 per cent. Rajen Gohain’s assets on the other hand grew from Rs 1.02 crore in 2009 to Rs 2.47 crore, an increase of 142 per cent. Guwahati MP Bijoya Chakravarty’s assets increased by 572 per cent – from Rs 18.70 lakh in 2009 to Rs 1.25 crore in 2014. With the election process just starting, it will be definitely interesting to find out from their new affidavits how much further the assets of our MPs have grown.