Karnataka 203 MLAs, have the highest average annual income of Rs 111.4 lakh, followed by Maharashtra’s 256 MLAs (Rs 43.4 lakh), according to an analysis of the affidavits of 3,145 legislators.
The findings were released on Monday by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), an NGO that works for electoral and political reforms.
The affidavits of 941 MLAs did not declare their income, said the report, adding that the analysis primarily focused on the annual (self) income of the sitting MLAs only.
It said the average annual income of the 3,145 sitting MLAs is Rs 24.59 lakh.
At least 711 MLAs in the southern region have the highest average annual income of Rs 51.99 lakh, while 614 MLAs in the eastern region have the lowest Rs 8.53 lakh.
A total of 63 MLAs of Chhattisgarh Assembly have the lowest average annual income of Rs 5.4 lakh followed by Jharkhand’s 72 MLAs with Rs 7.4 lakh.
Out of 3,145 MLAs analysed, 55 (2 per cent) have not given their profession in their affidavit, 771 (25 per cent) declared business as their profession and 758 (24 per cent) said they are agriculturist or farmer.
The analysis said a number of 397 (13 per cent) MLAs, who have declared their profession as agriculture and business, have the highest average annual income of Rs 57.81 lakh.
“MLAs under real estate business and acting or filmmaking profession category comprise only 1 per cent of the total MLAs analysed,” revealed the analysis, adding “nevertheless, they are among the top four highest paid profession categories with an average annual income of Rs 39.69 lakh and Rs 28.48 lakh, respectively”.
“Housewife, teacher, pensioner and lawyer are among the least paid profession categories,” it said.
A number of 1,052 (33 per cent) MLAs, declaring their educational qualification to be between 5th to 12th pass, have an average annual income of Rs 31.03 lakh. “At least 1,997 (63 per cent) MLAs, graduate or above, have an average annual income of Rs 20.87 lakh.
A number of 139 8th pass MLAs have average annual self-income worth Rs 89.88 lakh, while those who have declared themselves to be illiterate have an average annual self-income of Rs 9.31 lakh.
A total of 1,402 MLAs, aged 25-50 years, have an average annual income of Rs 18.25 lakh and 1,727, aged 51-80 years, have Rs 29.32 lakh.
At least 11 MLAs, aged 81-90 years, have an average annual income of Rs 87.71 lakh whereas two MLAs, declaring their age above 90 years, have Rs 60.91 lakh.
Only 258 (8 per cent) MLAs are women, said the analysis. “On an average a male MLA’s annual self-income is Rs 25.85 lakh whereas for a female MLA, it is Rs 10.53 lakh.”
(PTI)
