The salaries of the president and the vice-president will be doubled with the Union Cabinet on Thursday approving the increase with effect from January one last year.

After the meeting of the Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh [Images], Information and Broadcasting Minister P R Dasmunsi said the president would get Rs 1 lakh per month compared to Rs 50,000 earlier.

Similarly, the vice-president would get Rs 85,000 per month against the present Rs 40,000, he said.

Likewise, Dasmunsi said, the salary of governors has been raised from Rs 36,000 a month to Rs 75,000.

The hike was necessitated in view of the fact that Members of Parliament were getting Rs 68,000, while the presiding officer of the Rajya Sabha was drawing less than them, he said.

Former presidents' emoluments have also been doubled to Rs 6 lakh a year, while more facilities have been sanctioned for the spouses of late presidents and vice-presidents.

Dasmunsi said the decision to increase the salary had been taken last year itself, but since the then president and vice president were retiring, it was deferred.