How much does President of India earn?
India's President and Vice-President continue to get lower salaries than service chiefs and top bureaucrats, owing to an anomaly in the 7th Pay Commission's recommendations nearly two years ago. The proposal to push up the President and the Vice-President's salaries was forwarded to the Cabinet Secretariat a year ago. However, no decision has been taken on it yet. But, how much do they earn?
Earlier salaries of the President, Vice-President, and Governors
Till 2008, the President, the Vice-President and the Governors used to draw meagre salaries of Rs. 50,000, Rs. 40,000, and Rs. 36,000 respectively.
The current salary structure of top government officials in India
The President and the Vice-President get salaries of Rs. 1.50 lakh and Rs. 1.25 lakh per month respectively. Governors get Rs. 1.10 lakh. Meanwhile, the top-most bureaucrat in India, the Cabinet Secretary gets Rs. 2.50 lakh per month, while a Union government Secretary draws Rs. 2.25 lakh per month. The chiefs of the three armed forces draw salaries equivalent to the Cabinet Secretary.
The proposed changes in the government's salary structure
The bill to revise the President's, Vice-President's and Governors' salaries was prepared by the Union Home Ministry. Once the Union Cabinet gives a nod to the bill, it will be presented to the Parliament. The proposal seeks to increase the President's salary to Rs. 5 lakh per month, the Vice-President's to Rs. 3.5 lakh per month, and Governors' to Rs. 3 lakh per month.
Bill seeks to raise pensions of former Presidents, Vice-Presidents, Governors
The proposal to revise salaries also seeks to raise pensions of former Presidents, former Vice-Presidents, spouses of deceased Presidents and Vice-Presidents, as well as of former Governors.
