Bhubaneswar: Cutting across party lines BJP, Congress and BJD legislators raised the issue for hiking the salary and travel allowances of MLAs during zero hour, in the Odisha Assembly today.
Raising the issue during zero hour, Opposition Chief Whip Mohan Majhi pointed out that the salary and allowances of MLAs were last increased on September 23 in 2017.
Majhi said that since then prices have increased and demanded an increase in the salary and travel allowances of MLAs.
He pointed out that compared to the rising prices, the salary of an MLA is very less.
He further said that salary of MLAs in our State is very less compared to the salary of MLAs in other States.
In Odisha the total salary and travel allowances of an MLA is only Rs 99,800 which is very less, he added.
Similarly, Congress member from Jeypore Tara Prasad Bahinipati also demanded increasing the salary of MLAs.
Bahinipati said that MLAs have to attend several social functions which entails huge expenses, therefore salary of MLAs must increase.
The issue of pensions of former MLAs also figured along with the issue of raising salaries of MLAs during the zero hour.
While stating that former MLAs are getting only Rs 30,000 as pension, therefore, pension of former MLAs and salary of MLAs should be increased, Bahinipati demanded.
BJD legislator from Barchana Amar Prasad Satpathy also joined ranks with the opposition MLAs in demanding a hike in salary, travel and medical allowances of MLAs and pension of former MLAs.
Independent legislator from Rayagada Makaranda Muduli has also demanded to raise the salary of MLAs.
Considering the demand across party lines, Speaker Bikram Keshari Arukha has requested the government to consider the demand.
