Why in News?
As the nation tackles the COVID-19 pandemic, the government takes some measures to save costs.
What were the measures?
- Parliament has reduced the salary and allowances of Members of Parliament (MPs) and Ministers.
- The Union Cabinet has decided to cancel the Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) for two years.
Will there be any impact due to salary cuts?
- A 30% cut was made in Rs. 1 lakh/month salary of MPs and ministers.
- Rs. 27,000 cut was made in their office and constituency allowances.
- Both these amounts to a savings of about Rs. 5 crore/month.
- These amounts are immaterial for the Central government with an average monthly budget of Rs. 2.5-lakh crore.
- The Parliament has abdicated its constitutional role as the elected body that checks the work of government on behalf of citizens.
- Instead, it gave a symbolic gesture of reductions in pay and allowances.
What should the MPs do?
- During the crisis, MPs should be planning on the actions and policies to be taken to manage the epidemic.
- They should be working on the costs and consequences of various alternatives.
- They should be figuring out ways to have meetings of the committee and of the full House through video-conferencing.
- By doing these, the Parliament can check the work of government.
Why cancelling MPLADS is a welcome move?
- MPLADS creates several issues of accountability and jurisdiction.
- The MPLADS scheme should not be resumed after the crisis because,
- In financial terms, there is nearly Rs. 4,000 crore per year savings.
- This will help MPs focus on their roles as national legislators.
- It impinges on separation of powers, both horizontally across different organs of state, and vertically across different levels of governance.
What duties of MPs does the MPLADS affect?
- Other than making laws, MPs have two key duties.
- They sanction the size and allocation of the government budget.
- They also hold the government accountable for its work, including that of spending funds appropriately.
- MPLADS brings in a conflict in both these roles.
- It asks them to identify and get specific projects executed rather than to focus on policy measures to achieve the same results.
- It distracts them from allocating and monitoring the Union Budget of Rs. 30-lakh crore to micro-managing the constituency fund of Rs. 5 crore.
What is the scope for reform that the current crisis provides?
- Technology - Technological reform will improve efficiency.
- Much of the daily paper work of the Parliament have been digitised.
- However, protocols and infrastructure may be needed if meetings have to be held through secure video-conferencing.
- Pay and allowances - The MPs should be provided with office space and research staff.
- They should be compensated in line with their duties as legislators.
- At the same time, hidden perks such as housing must be made transparent.
- Accountability - There is a need to hold MPs accountable for their work as national legislators.
- A representative democracy functions only as well as its legislatures do.
Source: The Hindu
