Odisha MLAs demand salary hike
Insight Online News
Bhubaneswar, Dec 3 : Cutting across party lines, the legislators in Odisha Assembly on Tuesday demanded a hike in their salary and increase in the pension of former MLAs to meet expenses and rising inflation.
Raising the issue during zero hour, opposition Chief whip in the Assembly and BJD leader Pramila Mallik said considering the rise in prices of essential commodities, the monthly salary of MLAs should be hiked to Rs 2.5 lakh per month and the pension of ex-MLA to Rs 70 lakh for one term.
She said the MLA LAD fund amount should be hiked from the existing Rs three crore to five crore.
The BJP MLA also demanded an increase in Special Repair fund, Critical Gap Funding, and demanded the Speaker to give a ruling.
She was supported by her party Colleague Pratap Keshari Deb.
Deb said a committee constituted by the Previous BJD government after visiting several states had submitted a report recommending the government to hike the salary and pension of former MLAs. But due to certain reasons, it could not be implemented.
The Member said Odisha MLAs are getting less salary and the ex-MLAs less pension in comprision to other states. Odisha figured in the 27th place and demanded a hike.
He said the government should either implement the committee report constituted by the previous government or should constitute a new committee for the purpose and hike the salary.
Treasury Bench Members Bhaskar Madhei, Sanatan Bijuli, Congress Legislature Party Leader Rama Chandra Kadam, his party colleague Tara Prasad Bahinipati also demanded for a hike.
Speaker Surama Padhy supported the demand of the MLAs and said the hike should be made as per the demands of time.
Padhy said she would apprise the Chief Minister about the demand and Parliamentary Affairs Minister would place the demand before the government.
