World’s Worst Paid Prime Minister

An Economist report places Manmohan Singh at the bottom of the salary table among world leaders.

As far as poverty goes, these are the worst of times. So, for Manmohan Singh to be listed by The Economist magazine as the poorest-paid elected leader among 22 of the most underdeveloped and advanced nations, is good news indeed. More so given these inflationary times in India, with the Congress trying to stay true to its austerity mantras.  

A recent UNDP report has declared that eight Indian states where acute poverty prevails account for more poor people than 26 of the poorest African countries. At a moment like this, Dr Singh, a highly-regarded economist internationally, might be happy to be at the bottom of this pay-to-GDP heap. He’s at number 22 exactly.

Calculating the ratio of a political leader’s pay to his nation’s GDP per person, adjusted by the local currency’s purchasing power, Singh’s basic salary is $4,106. This is twice India’s income per head, on purchasing parity. 

One notch above India’s PM is China’s premier, who, at $10,633, gets about thrice the average Chinese citizen’s income. And while the ratios stay the same among other trailing nations like Israel and Argentina, it is Britain’s newly-elected Prime Minister, David Cameron, who sticks out by earning $215,390. 

However, topping everyone’s take-home, including that of US President Barack Obama, is Raila Odinga, Prime Minister of Kenya. His $427,886 paycheck is ‘240 times greater’ than the average Kenyan’s income.  

There’s a fine line that divides a salary from an obscenity. Dr Singh must be pleased. As for Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, who’s about to ask Indian CEOs to cut back on their ostentatious lifestyles, he’ll probably be shaking this study in their affluent faces.

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