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3mo ago

Odisha MLA Pay Hike Faces Cross-Party Reconsideration With Governor’s Assent Pending

Public backlash has led both BJP and BJD legislators to ask Chief Minister Mohan Majhi to review the threefold pay package.

The Odisha assembly passed four bills to raise the salary and emoluments of MLAs, ministers and other functionaries (PTI FILE)
BJP MLAs submitted a written petition urging the CM to review the four bills passed in the Odisha assembly. (Prahlad Mahato)
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Overview

  • Ruling BJP MLAs submitted a signed representation on December 18 urging a review of the hikes, and the opposition BJD followed on December 19 with its own request.
  • Four amendment bills passed on December 9 to raise pay for MLAs, ministers, the Speaker and the Chief Minister have not received Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati’s assent.
  • The plan would lift an MLA’s monthly package from about Rs 1.11 lakh to Rs 3.45 lakh, with the Chief Minister at roughly Rs 3.74 lakh and other office-holders between Rs 3.56–3.68 lakh.
  • Officials estimate an extra annual cost of Rs 45–50 crore, and the revised packages would make Odisha’s legislators the highest paid among Indian states.
  • Petitioners have asked the Governor to withhold assent, Naveen Patnaik has said he will forgo the raise, and CPI(M) MLA Laxman Munda was the lone legislator to register opposition during passage.