President Patil gets a big hike, salary doubled

Agencies Posted: Jan 10, 2008 at 0000 hrs
New Delhi, January 10: The President has got a big raise with the monthly pay packet doubled from Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh, under a proposal cleared by the Union Cabinet on Thursday.

And Pratibha Patil is not alone to get such a hike.

The Vice-President would get Rs 85,000 per month against the present Rs 40,000, Information and Broadcasting Minister P R Dasmunsi said.

After a meeting of the Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Dasmunsi said.

Likewise, Dasmunsi said, the salary of Governors has been raised from Rs 36,000 a month to Rs 75,000.

The increase in emoluments would come into effect from January 1 last year.

The hike was necessitated as Members of Parliament have a Rs 68,000 pay packet while the presiding officer of the Rajya Sabha drew less than them, Dasmunsi said.

Former Presidents’ emoluments have also been doubled to Rs six lakh a year, while more facilities have been sanctioned for the spouses of late Presidents and Vice-Presidents.

Dasmunsi said the decision to increase the salary had been taken last year itself, but since then President and Vice President were retiring, it was deferred.