Odisha Legislators demand a hike in salary and other allowances
21 March, Bhubaneswar
Members in Odisha Assembly cutting across party line Tuesday demanded the government to hike their salary pension and various other allowances, besides an increase in the MLA Local Area Development Fund (LAD)and.
The members said the size of the MLALAD fund and the salary and allowances they are getting is too low in comparison to the legislators of other states and demanded a hike in their salary, allowances and the MLA LAD fund considering the market scenario and the price index.
The issue was first raised by Treasury bench member Mahesh Sahu during the zero hour who said the amount sanctioned under the MLA LAD fund is too inadequate.He said the government either increase the MLA LAD fund from the present Rs 1 crore to Rs 3 crore or allow the MLAs to give 40 per cent proposals of all the schemes being implemented in the state.BJP member Radharani Panda demanded the MLA LAD fund be raised from Rs one crore to five crore.
Prafulla Majhi (Cong) while demanding a hike in MLA LAD fund to 3 crore said the Constituency allowances,conveyance allowances and the pension of the MLAs should also be doubled to meet the rising cost.
He suggested that the monthly pension of the MLAs should be increased from the Present Rs 15,000 to 30,000 initially and later should be enhanced to Rs.60,000.Mr Debasis Nayak (BJD) said the salary and pension of the MLAs should be linked to price index. He wanted the Speaker to have discussion on the issue with the Parliamentary Affairs Minister and take a respectable decision considering the market scenario.
Naik said in Odisha the members are getting a monthly salary of Rs 15,000 which is less than the salaryof a peon. He said the MLAs in Delhi are getting Rs 2.5 lakh while in Telengana the legislators are receiving monthly salary of Rs 3 lakh ..Naik also wanted the MLA LAD fund to be increased to Rs three crore.
The BJD MLA said many MLAs are leading a pitiable life. Citing the recent incident of a former MLA who was detained by a private hospital for being unable to clear his medical bill, he said it was a matter of shame and urged the government to consider the demand Opposition Chief Whip Tara Prasad Bahinipati , Rabi Naik (BJP) Subrat Tarai (BJD) also supported the demand to hike the MLA LAD fund, Special Problem fund and the salary of the MLAs.
Ayub Khan (BJD) appealed to the Speaker to give a ruling to implement the recommendations of the Amenities committee to hike the salary and pension of the members.