National

Himachal Assembly Approves 24% Salary and Allowance Increase for CM, Ministers, Speaker, and MLAs

Published

11 months ago

March 28, 2025

On the final day of the Himachal Pradesh budget session, the salaries, allowances, and pensions for members of the State Legislative Assembly received a significant 24 percent increase. This move was presented by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, who introduced three Bills in the Assembly on Friday. Following a voice vote, the Bills were enthusiastically passed by both ruling and opposition members.

This adjustment is the first of its kind in the last nine years and establishes a systematic increase of salaries, allowances, and pensions for MLAs every five years.

The enhancement of compensation is now tied to the price index, resulting in an annual financial impact of approximately Rs 24 crore on the state’s treasury. The breakdown of this burden includes an additional Rs 20 to 22 crore due to the salary and allowances increase for current and former MLAs, Rs 35 lakh for the Speaker and Deputy Speaker, and Rs 2 crore for the Chief Minister and Ministers.

The three Bills passed include the Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly Speaker and Deputy Speaker’s Salary Amendment Bill 2025, the Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly Members Salaries and Pension Amendment Bill 2025, and the Ministers Salary and Allowances Amendment Bill 2025.

As a result of this legislative action, the compensation adjustments are as follows: the Chief Minister’s salary rises from Rs. 95,000 to Rs. 1.15 lakh; the Speaker’s from Rs. 80,000 to Rs. 95,000; the Deputy Speaker’s from Rs. 75,000 to Rs. 92,000; Cabinet Ministers’ from Rs. 80,000 to Rs. 95,000; State Ministers’ from Rs. 78,000 to Rs. 93,000; Deputy Ministers’ from Rs. 75,000 to Rs. 80,000; and MLAs’ from Rs. 55,000 to Rs. 70,000. Additionally, all categories will see an increase in hospitality allowances, while the pension for former MLAs will rise from Rs. 36,000 to Rs. 50,000.

In addressing the Bills, Chief Minister Sukhu noted that allowances for telephone, electricity, and water bills would be eliminated, as well as the telephone allowance for former MLAs. Moving forward, MLAs will receive only constituency and office allowances.

Sukhu expressed that these salary adjustments were overdue and reflected the current inflation rates. He acknowledged the concerns raised by MLAs regarding their financial situation and highlighted the importance of supporting their needs.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Harshvardhan Chauhan stated that the salary serves as the primary income for MLAs in Himachal Pradesh, making it essential to reassess their compensation in light of their responsibilities. Leader of the Opposition, Jai Ram Thakur, emphasized that as public expectations of MLAs continue to grow, a salary increase was indeed warranted.

National

Pickup Vehicle Crashes Into Divider, Two Killed Including Child

Published

1 hour ago

March 5, 2026

Namma Kudla

Uttar Pradesh: A tragic road accident took place in Uttar Pradesh when a pickup vehicle lost control and crashed into a road divider.

The driver and a three-year-old girl died on the spot due to the impact of the crash. Nine passengers who were travelling in the vehicle sustained injuries. They were rushed to the district hospital for treatment.

Reports said the victims were travelling to their native village to celebrate the Holi festival. A video showing the horrifying scene of the accident has gone viral on social media.

Preliminary reports suggest that overspeeding may have led to the accident. Police have started an investigation into the incident.

National

Five from Karnataka Killed in Car–Container Collision in Andhra Pradesh

Published

24 hours ago

March 4, 2026

Namma Kudla

Andhra Pradesh: Five people from Karnataka were killed on the spot after the car they were travelling in rammed into a container truck from behind in Andhra Pradesh’s Chittoor district on Tuesday.

The accident occurred near Gangavaram in Palamaneru while the victims were on their way to Tirupati temple from Bengaluru. According to police, the car crashed into the rear of a container vehicle with great force, leaving the vehicle completely mangled.

The deceased have been identified as Mohandas (71), Nagaraj (61), Kusuma (61), Jayanti (59), and Pooja (33). All of them were residents of Rajajinagar in Bengaluru.

Preliminary reports suggest that the impact of the collision was so severe that all five occupants died at the scene. Police have registered a case at the Palamaneru police station and further investigation is underway.

More details are awaited.

National

Woman Kills Ex-Lover Over Blackmail in Ballia

Published

3 days ago

March 2, 2026

Namma Kudla

Uttar Pradesh: A married woman allegedly killed her former lover in Ballia after he blackmailed her with private videos, police said.

According to police, the victim was identified as Pankaj Gupta, a resident of Azamgarh. He was reportedly in a relationship with the woman from a nearby village.

Police said the woman wanted to end the relationship. However, Gupta allegedly began blackmailing her using obscene videos and harassed her repeatedly.

Unable to bear the threats, the woman informed her brother and sister-in-law. The trio allegedly planned the murder during a wedding function on February 5.

On February 7, they allegedly called Gupta to the village on a pretext. He was strangled to death, police said. The accused then poured acid on his face to hide his identity and tried to destroy evidence.

An unidentified body with a disfigured face was found on February 10. The crime was later solved during the investigation.

Police have arrested three accused, including the woman, and sent them to judicial custody. Efforts are on to arrest other suspects involved in the case.