State cabinet okays MLAs’ salary hike

Bhubaneswar: The state cabinet chaired by chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday approved the proposal to hike salaries and allowances of MLAs by a whopping 66%.

According to official sources, salary including allowances of the chief minister has been enhanced to Rs 98,000 while the speaker of Odisha Legislative Assembly will now draw Rs 97,500 as against Rs 59,000 and Rs 58,500 respectively earlier.

Similarly, the salary of deputy speaker of the state assembly has been increased to Rs 95,000 and that of cabinet ministers to 97,500.

Besides, the ministers of state will now draw a salary of Rs 95,000 while the leader of opposition leader will receive Rs 97,000.

The government chief whip’s revised emoluments including allowances have been fixed at Rs 97,000 and that of his deputy at Rs 93,000.

However, revised emoluments of MLAs, including allowances, have been fixed at Rs 1,00,000. They earlier drew Rs 60,000, the sources added.

The meeting was attended by senior government officials. Since the assembly is in session, there was no media briefing on it.

Earlier in the day, MLAs cutting across party lines had met the chief minister in the assembly and urged him to hike their salary and increase the amount for MLA Local Area Development (LAD) fund.

The members of ruling BJD and Opposition Congress and BJP said there was every justification to hike the salary of MLAs after the state government implemented recommendations of the 7th Pay Commission for government employees.