New Delhi: The US has said that the salary of its embassy staff is based as per the local wage rates of the particular country.
"Generally, compensation plans for locally employed staff at US Missions abroad are based upon prevailing wage rates and compensation practices for corresponding types of positions in the employment locality," said US State Deputy Spokesperson Marie Harf.
The issue of salaries paid to Indian employees in the US embassy and consulates in India came to the fore after senior Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade was arrested in New York on December 12 on charges of making false declarations in a visa application for her maid Sangeeta Richard.
Subsequently, she was strip searched and held in jail with drug addicts and criminals which triggered a row between the US and India. Khobragade, 39, was released on a USD 250,000 bond.
Media reports in New Delhi said Indian employees of the US Embassy and consulates in India are being grossly underpaid in comparison to their American counterparts working in these missions, according to information made available to the Indian government.
Even as the External Affairs Ministry is awaiting details of Indian staff employed by the American diplomatic missions, some such current and former employees have come forward with details of their emoluments which are way below the wages being paid to the American staff in similar positions.
(with additional inputs from PTI)
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