Shimla: The state Cabinet on Wednesday gave its approval for the promulgation of the Himachal Pradesh Payment of Income Tax on Salaries and Allowances of Certain Categories Ordinance, 2022 from the current financial year. 

Now Chief Minister, Ministers, Speaker, Deputy Speaker and MLAs shall pay their income tax. Earlier, the income tax of elected members was being cleared by the state government.

The decision is expected to save about ₹1.5 crore annually.

The state cabinet has also given its approval to enhance the honorarium of elected representatives of Panchayati Raj Institutions. 

The honorarium of Chairman Zila Parishad would be Rs. 15000 instead of Rs. 12500, Vice Chairman Zila Parishad would be Rs. 10000 instead of Rs. 8000, Member Zila Parishad would be Rs. 6000 in place of Rs. 5000 per month.

the cabinet also increases the honorarium of Chairman Panchayat Samiti to Rs. 9000 from Rs. 7000, Vice Chairman Panchayat Samiti would be Rs. 6500 instead of Rs. 5000 and Member Panchayat Samiti Rs. 5500 in place of Rs. 4500 per month. Similarly, the honorarium of Pradhan Gram Panchayat would be Rs. 5500 in place of Rs. 4500, Up Pradhan Gram Panchayat Rs. 3500 instead of Rs. 3000 and Member Gram Panchayat would get Rs. 600 per month instead of Rs. 500.