Dhangadi, March 7

A meeting of the Council of Ministers in Province 7 fixed the salary and perks of ministers and lawmakers today.

The chief minister will draw a total of Rs 62,970 monthly salary while ministers will draw Rs 54,000 per month. Similarly, the meeting also fixed the salary and perks of the speaker, deputy speaker, and leader of the opposition, whip and chairpersons of different committees.

The speaker will receive Rs 56,500 per month while the deputy speaker and leader of the opposition will draw Rs 65,250 a month. Similarly, whip and chairpersons of the committees will receive Rs 62,700, including residence allowance on monthly basis.

Likewise, provincial lawmakers will draw a sum of Rs 59,000 including residence allowance. However, the chief minister, ministers, speaker, and lawmakers, among others, will get meeting, daily travel and furniture allowance. “We have fixed the salary and perks of ministers and lawmakers as per the government’s recommendation,” said provincial government Spokesperson Prakash Bahadur Shah, who is also minister of internal affairs and law.

Earlier, the government had circulated a directive regarding the salary and benefits of all the officials of provinces. There are seven ministries, including the chief minister. Though the salary and perks of the state and deputy ministers has been fixed, they are yet to be appointed.

Meanwhile, the meeting appointed Kulananda Upadhyay as chief attorney of the province. The chief attorney will draw a sum of Rs 94,000, excluding fuel allowance, per month. This salary is equivalent to a High Court judge’s salary, as per Chief Secretary Laxmi Ram Poudel.

The council of ministers formed a four-member law drafting committee headed by Law Minister Shah. The committee comprises Secretary Yagya Prasad Bhattarai at the Office of Chief Minister and Council of Ministers, Secretary and Under-secretary at the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Law Pitambar Ghimire and Birendra Bahadur KC respectively.