Dhankhar Seeks Resumption Of Pension As Ex-Rajasthan MLA After Resigning As VP: How Much Will He Get?
Dhankhar previously served as a Congress MLA for the Kishangarh Assembly segment from 1993 to 1998 and received pension benefits until July 2019.
Former Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar has applied for a pension as a former member of the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly. The Rajasthan Assembly secretariat has accepted his application, and he will start receiving pension soon.
Dhankhar previously served as a Congress MLA for the Kishangarh Assembly segment from 1993 to 1998 and received pension benefits until July 2019. These benefits were halted upon his appointment as the governor of West Bengal.
Following his resignation as vice-president on July 21, Dhankhar has now formally applied to the Rajasthan Assembly secretariat to resume his MLA pension. The secretariat has begun processing his application, and the pension will be effective from the date his resignation was accepted.
How Much Pension Will Dhankhar Receive?
In Rajasthan, former MLAs are eligible for a base pension of Rs 35,000 per month. This amount increases with additional legislative terms and age, with a 20 percent hike for those over 70. Now aged 74, Dhankhar qualifies for a monthly pension of Rs 42,000 as a one-term legislator.
Dhankhar is also entitled to three separate pensions: one as a former vice-president, another as an ex-MP, and a third for his service in the Rajasthan Assembly. While he does not receive a pension for his stint as governor of West Bengal, he can get reimbursement of Rs 25,000 per month for one secretarial staff member.
Dhankhar's benefits include a Rs 45,000 monthly pension for his time as a Member of Parliament, alongside other privileges. As a former vice-president, he is eligible for a pension approaching Rs 2 lakh per month, a Type-8 government bungalow, and a support staff comprising one personal secretary, one additional personal secretary, one personal assistant, one physician, one nursing officer, and four personal attendants. In the event of his passing, his spouse would be entitled to a Type-7 house.
Dhankhar's Surprise Resignation
Dhankhar’s resignation as vice-president on July 21, the first day of Parliament’s Monsoon session, citing health concerns, took many by surprise. His decision sparked speculation, with Congress describing the announcement as “totally unexpected” and suggesting there might be reasons beyond health issues.
Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh claimed there were "far deeper reasons" than health concerns behind Dhankhar's resignation.
Recalling the day’s events, Ramesh said: "Dhankhar chaired a meeting of the Business Advisory Committee of the Rajya Sabha at 12:30 pm. It was attended by most members, including Leader of the House J P Nadda and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju. After some discussions, the BAC decided to meet again at 4:30 pm."
Ramesh further noted that when the committee reconvened, Nadda and Rijiju were absent. "Dhankhar was not personally informed that the two senior ministers were not attending the meeting. So, something very serious happened between 1 pm and 4:30 pm to account for the deliberate absence of Nadda and Rijiju."
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also raised concerns over Dhankhar's sudden resignation and said, "Let us watch. He is a healthy man. I think his health is absolutely fine."
Adding to this speculation was Dhankhar’s acceptance of an Opposition-supported initiative to remove Justice Yashwant Verma following the seizure of significant cash from Verma’s Delhi home in March.
(With inputs from news agency PTI.)
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