Bhubaneswar: The BJP MLAs on Thursday urged Chief Minister Mohan Majhi to reconsider the recent decision to triple the salaries and allowances of legislators.
Speaking to the media, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mukesh Mahaling said that the written representation, emphasising the need to respect public sentiment and review the salary hike passed unanimously by the Odisha Assembly on the final day of the winter session on December 10, was made during the legislature party meeting at the BJP state headquarters in Bhubaneswar.
It was attended by the CM, ministers, MLAs, state party president Manmohan Samal, and organisational leaders.
The Odisha Assembly passed four key amendment bills that increased the monthly package of MLAs from around Rs 1.11 lakh to Rs 3.45 lakh. Similarly, the Chief Minister will draw Rs 3.74 lakh a month, the Deputy CM Rs 3.68 lakh, Cabinet Ministers Rs 3.62 lakh and Ministers of State Rs 3.56 lakh under the revised structure. The Speaker’s salary and allowances have also been hiked to Rs 3.68 lakh. The Deputy Speaker will receive Rs 3.56 lakh while the Leader of the Opposition and Government Chief Whip will draw a monthly salary of Rs 3.62 lakh each.
The government had earlier said that the hike, after an eight-year gap, factored in inflation.
However, the substantial hike in MLAs’ salaries sparked strong backlash from the public and civil society groups. Following which, BJD president and former CM Naveen Patnaik on December 13 refused to accept the hiked amount and urged the government to spend it on welfare of the poor people of the state instead.
This move by the BJP MLAs indicates a growing internal recognition of widespread criticism over the timing and scale of the increase, even as the bills await Governor’s assent.
