Bhubaneswar: Cutting across party lines, MLAs today demanded a hike in their salary and increase in the pension of former MLAs to meet expenses and rising inflation.
The MLAs have raised the issue during Zero Hour, forcing the Speaker to make ruling on the demand.
BJD Chief Whip Pramila Mallik first raised the issue in the State Assembly and said considering the rise in prices of essential commodities, the monthly salary of MLAs should be hiked to Rs 2.5 lakh per month and the pension of ex-MLA to Rs 70 lakh for one term.
She said the MLA LAD fund amount should be hiked from the existing Rs 3 crore to five crore.
Mallik added that if necessary, the Speaker could form a new committee to review the matter.
She also called for an increase in the MLA Local Area Development (LAD) fund from Rs 3 crore to Rs 5 crore.
Supporting her request, Deputy Chief of Opposition Pratap Deb stressed the need to raise the MLA LAD fund to Rs 5 crore
Deb said a committee constituted by the Previous BJD government after visiting several states had submitted a report recommending the government to hike the salary and pension of former MLAs. But due to certain reasons, it could not be implemented.
The BJD leader said Odisha MLAs are getting less salary and the ex-MLAs less pension in comparison to other States. Odisha figured in the 27th place and demanded a hike.
He said the government should either implement the Committee report constituted by the previous government or should constitute a new committee for the purpose and hike the salary.
Congress MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati said people in his constituency had numerous demands for development, which could not be met with the current fund levels.
He also suggested increasing health insurance coverage for journalists to Rs 20 lakh, a proposal that was supported by few MLAs.
The BJP MLA also demanded an increase in the special repair fund, critical gap funding, and demanded the Speaker to give a ruling.
Treasury Bench Members Bhaskar Madhei, and Sanatan Bijuli also demanded for a hike.
Speaker Surama Padhy supported the demand of the MLAs and said the hike should be made as per the demands of time. Padhy said she would apprise the Chief Minister about the demand and the Parliamentary Affairs Minister would place the demand before the government.