Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman addresses a post-Budget press conference in New Delhi on Tuesday, July 23, 2024.
Credit: PTI Photo
New Delhi: The first budget under Modi 3.0 shows a decline in allocation for expenditure on the salaries, allowances and facilities provided to MPs, as well as for sending Parliamentary delegations abroad and hosting their counterparts from foreign countries.
Though this would not mean a decrease in the salaries and allowances of MPs as it is governed by rules cleared by the Parliament, it may result in a decrease in the expenditure on Parliamentary delegations and facilities provided to lawmakers.
When it comes to the Lok Sabha, the budget has earmarked Rs 293.57 crores for salaries and allowances of MPs, along with expenditure on Parliamentary delegations going abroad and foreign delegations visiting India. This is a decline from the previous fiscal’s allocation of Rs 298.60 crores. In 2022-23, the actual spending was Rs 232.51 crores.
For Rajya Sabha MPs, the allocation saw a steep decline from Rs 141.51 crores in 2023-24 to Rs 107.99 crores for this fiscal. In 2022-23, the actual spending was Rs 108.63 crores.
Together, the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha have seen a slight decrease of around Rs 3 crores in its allocation in the budget, which now stands at Rs 1,303.42 crores.
The Lower House has been allocated a total of Rs 862 crores, up from Rs 822 crores earmarked in the 2023-24 budget, while the Rajya Sabha saw a decrease from Rs 484.41 crores in the previous fiscal to 441.42 crores this time.
A large proportion of the allocation goes as salaries of Parliament staff and for Sansad TV. For the Lok Sabha staff, the Budget has earmarked Rs 563.66 crores while the corresponding figure for Rajya Sabha employees is 326.17 crores.
Another Rs 1.56 crore has been allocated for salaries and allowances of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker, while Rs 2.63 crore has been allocated for the same of the Rajya Sabha Chairman and Deputy Chairman.
For the Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha and his Secretariat, Rs 3.24 crore has been allocated, as against Rs 2.95 crore allocation in the 2023-24 budget.
Union Budget 2024 LIVE | Making a record for any Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman presented her 7th consecutive Union Budget on July 23, 2024 under the Modi 3.0 government. This Budget brought tax relief for the middle class, while focusing on jobs through skilling, incentivising employers. Track the latest coverage, live news, in-depth opinions, and analysis only on Deccan Herald. Also follow us on WhatsApp, LinkedIn, X, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram.