MP: Mohan Cabinet Dumps 52-Year-Old Rule, Asks Mantris to Pay Income Tax

Bhopal: The Madhya Pradesh cabinet on Tuesday decided to do away with the 52-year-old rule by withdrawing the privilege given to the state ministers under which the government was paying their income tax.

The state cabinet which met here under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Mohan Yadav decided that the state ministers will have to pay their income tax, instead of the state exchequer bearing the burden.

Chief minister Mr Yadav submitted a proposal before the cabinet suggesting that the ministers pay their income tax, instead of leaving the burden of paying their income tax on the government and the cabinet endorsed the proposal, state urban development minister Kailash Vijayvargiya said after the meeting.

As per a rule made in 1972, the state government needed to pay the income tax of state ministers.

The state exchequer had to bear a financial burden to the tune of Rs 3.24 crore towards payment of income tax of the state ministers in the last five years, official sources said.

In another significant decision, the cabinet decided to bring changes in the ex-gratia provision rule to share the financial aid given to the slain martyr of a Central or state paramilitary force between his widow and parents.

The cabinet also decided to waive the condition put for the corporate sector to plant trees on at least five hectares and decided that they can plant trees on two hectares under corporate social responsibility.

It has also been decided in the cabinet meeting that scholarships would be given to the students of Madhya Pradesh studying in Sainik Schools in other states.

The cabinet also approved the annual budget for 2024-25.