Odisha Govt Hikes Pay, Allowances Of Sarpanches & Other Panchayati Raj Representatives

Bhubaneswar: After Sarpanches from across the state staged a protest in Bhubaneswar demanding pay hike and adequate power, the Odisha government on Tuesday announced a hike in the remuneration and other benefits for Panchayati Raj representatives.

As per the decision, district council presidents will get a monthly pay of Rs 30,000 instead of Rs 9,380. Their daily allowance and sitting fee has also been increased from Rs 300 to Rs 600, an official statement said on Tuesday.

Zilla parishad vice-president’s remuneration has been hiked to Rs 20,000 from Rs 7040. They will get a daily allowance and sitting of Rs 600 instead of Rs 300.

Zilla parishad members’ remuneration has also been hiked to Rs 10,000 from the existing Rs 3530. Similarly, their daily allowance and sitting fee have been revised to Rs 600 from Rs 300.

Similarly, Sarpanches will now get Rs 10,000 instead of Rs 2,350 while naib sarpanches will get Rs 4,000 instead of Rs 490. The daily allowance and sitting fees of Sarpanches, naib sarpanch and ward members have been hiked to Rs 480 from the existing Rs 240 per day.

The panchayat samiti chairman will now get a revised remuneration of Rs 15,000 instead of Rs 3,530; and, deputy chairman will get Rs 7,500 from the existing Rs 2,350.

The panchayat samiti members will now get a revised remuneration of Rs 7500. Earlier, they were getting a remuneration of Rs 2,350.

Notably, an amount of Rs 79.88 crore was being spent earlier on remuneration and allowances of panchayati raj representatives. Following the hike, Rs 242.56 crore will be spent. The state government will bear an additional expenditure of Rs 162.68 crore for this.

Apart from this, in case of death during the tenure of panchayati raj representatives, a sum of Rs two lakh would be paid as ex-gratia.

In case of any mishap, Rs two lakh will be given for total disability (Irrecoverable loss of both eyes, hands and feet). Similarly, in case of partial disability (Irrecoverable loss of one eye, one hand or one leg) assistance of Rs. one lakh will be given.