Kathmandu, November 17

The three major political parties Nepali Congress, CPN UML and CPN-Maoist Centre today registered a joint proposal at the Legislature Parliament Secretariat seeking amendment of the bill on pay and perks of lawmakers and office bearers of parliamentary parties.

The amendment proposal has sought to increase daily meeting allowance of lawmakers from Rs 500 (proposed in the bill) to Rs 1,000 each. It has sought to increase every lawmaker’s travel insurance to make it Rs 2 million from proposed Rs 1 million.

It also sought to increase furniture expense for new lawmakers from Rs 15,000 to Rs 50,000. Five lakh rupees has been proposed instead of Rs 2 lakh to financially help the family of a lawmaker or office bearer of a party’s parliamentary party if s/he dies.

A sum of Rs 2 lakh has been proposed for differently-abled lawmakers in the amendment instead of Rs 50,000 proposed in the bill.

Four lawmakers Tara Devi Rai of CPN-UML, Ram Ayodhya Prasad Yadav and Prem Kishor Prasad Sah Teli of NC, and JB Tuhure Khadgi of CPN MC registered the joint proposal on the bill tabled by the government recently.

The amendment proposal is scheduled to be tabled at tomorrow’s Parliament meeting and passed it as soon as possible, sources said. The major parties, however, have not sought amendment in the monthly salary of lawmakers.

The bill has proposed around Rs 85,000 to every Parliament member, nearly Rs 1 lakh to the Speaker, leaders of opposition party, leader of ruling party and chief whips and Deputy Speaker as monthly salary.

The Parliament Secretariat received seven amendment proposals on the bill from 11 lawmakers.