Do you make more than India’s prime minister? Yep.
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh gestures to greet as he arrives for the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting in New Delhi on June 25, 2012. In answer to a Right to Information (RTI) request, the prime minister’s office has revealed that Singh earns a paltry $36,000 a year. US President Barack Obama pulls down $400,000, along with various perks.
Okay, your job sucks. But let's face it: It could be worse. You could be the prime minister of India.
Then you'd be on call 24/7. You'd face criticism from left, right and center. You'd lack most of the power in your job description, due to your reluctant political allies and the "Mummy says" leadership style of the Congress Party. And, yes, you'd be pretty badly paid.
According to an official disclosure from the PM's office, Manmohan Singh earns just $36,000 a year, a pittance compared with the $400,000 that US President Barack Obama pulls down — even if it does go pretty far in India.
Interestingly, most of Singh's underlings earn nearly as much, the Daily Mail reports.
Communications adviser Pankaj Pachauri, for instance, earns a bit more than $28,000 a year, while officer on special duty to the PM K. Muthu Kumar makes around $31,000. Principal secretary to the PM Pulok Chatterji, considered the most important man in the PMO, draws $20,000. And National Security Adviser Shiv Shankar Menon and adviser to the PM TKA Nair each earn about $25,000.