Bhubaneswar, July 30: Members cutting across party lines in Odisha Assembly on Saturday urged Speaker Bikram Keshari Arukh to give a ruling directing the government to hike the salary
and allowances of the members.
Raising the issue during zero hour, the members also demanded to raise the pension and medical allowances of former MLAs.
The members said the salary and perks of the MLAs which was hiked five years back should be hiked now.
Raising the issue during zero hour BJP Chief Whip Mohan Majhi said the salary and allowances given to the MLAs and the pension and medical allowances given to former MLAs are not adequate.
The hike in Salary of the MLAs was last made five years back in 2017. During the last five years the price of essential commodities and oil prices have increased manifold.
Majhi said an MLA in Odisha is getting less than Rs one lakh including allowances which is not adequate.
He said the salary and allowances of an MLA in Odisha is much less in comparison to his counterpart in Karnataka (Rs. 2. 5 lakh), Maharashtra (2.31 lakh) Delhi (Rs 2.10 Lakh) and Uttarakhand (Rs 3.25 lakh) and urged the government to hike their salary and allowances.
He was supported by his party colleague Bishnu Sethi.
Tara Prasad Bahinipati (Cong) said the salary of an MLA in Odisha is less than the salary of MLAs
of several states including Goa, a small state.In Goa,he said while the salary and allowances of an MLA is Rs 2.20 lakh it is less than Rs one lakh in Odisha.
Bahinipati further said the condition of former MLAs is even worse. They are getting a pension of
Rs 30,000 per month and Rs 2,000 towards medical expenses.
He requested the Speaker to give a ruling to increase the salary and allowances of MLAs besides pension and medical allowances of former MLAs.His Party colleagues Suresh Chandra Routray, Santosh Singh Saluja endorsed his views.
Saluja demanded the government to hike the medical insurance of an MLA and ex -MLA to Rs 10 lakh. He also demanded to lift the ceiling on hike on the pension of ex-MLAs.
As per the existing provision the pension will be hiked at the rate of Rs 2,000 for each term with a certain ceiling.
He demanded the Speaker to constitute a sub committee which should visit other states and submit a report for enhancing the salary and perks of MLAs besides the pension of former MLAs.
Treasury bench member Amar Prasad Satpathy said the salary and allowances should be hiked as per the price index and should be raised considering the situation in the state. He demanded to hike the medical allowance to minimum Rs 20,000 and hike the pension of former MLAs.
After listening to the members, the Speaker said he would advise the government to consider the demand raised by the members.
With UNI Inputs….
