Parliament staff and officials, along with trade union representatives, have urged the government and parliamentary heads to raise their transport allowance paid on sitting days, pointing out that an increase is essential given the current cost of living.
Employees state that for nearly 15 years, a parliamentary worker has received a transport allowance of only Rs. 750. It is reported that this amount is utterly insufficient to cover today's transport costs, especially for many who commute from distant areas.
Key Points
- Only an allowance of Rs. 750 has been paid for nearly 15 years
- Parliament employees reveal they receive neither overtime nor holiday compensation allowances
- A majority of ruling and opposition MPs have agreed that the allowance should be increased
No overtime payments
Employees pointed out that even when working late into the night on sitting days, they only receive this allowance and do not get any overtime pay. They noted that several previous benefits, including compensation allowances for working on holidays, have already been cut. Therefore, they have appealed to the National People's Power (NPP) government to at least increase this transport allowance.
Several parliamentary trade unions have made written submissions to authorities regarding the matter, and it is reported that a majority of MPs from both the government and opposition sides have agreed that the allowance must be increased without delay.
