Perks And Privileges Of Four Former J&K Chief Ministers Withdrawn

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According to a gazette notification the government amended the Jammu and Kashmir State Legislature Members’ Pension Act and increased the pension amount to Rs 75,000 per month from Rs 50,000. Section 3-C of the Act, under which former chief ministers of Jammu and Kashmir were entitled to various privileges and perks, has now been omitted.

With this amendment, the former chief ministers would not be entitled for rent-free furnished accommodation, expenditure to the limit of Rs 35,000 per annum for furnishing of the residential accommodation, free telephone calls up to the value of Rs 48,000 per annum, free electricity to the extent of Rs 1,500 per month, car, petrol, medical facilities, driver and personal assistant.

The provisions were made through a gazette notification, titled the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization (Adaptation of State Laws) Order-2020.

Four former chief ministers of the erstwhile state — Farooq Abdullah, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti — are central government protectees.

The amended Special Security Group, which mans the security of the chief minister and former chief ministers, will not provide security to family members of serving chief ministers.