Odisha Cabinet approves whopping 66% pay hike for MLAs, Ministers!

Bhubaneswar: In a significant decision, the Odisha Cabinet today approved a proposal to hike monthly salaries and allowances of legislators and ministers by a whopping 66%.

According to sources, as per the Cabinet decision, the Chief Minister’s revised monthly emoluments including allowances have been fixed at Rs 98,000 as against Rs 59,000 earlier.

The Speaker’s revised emoluments including allowances have been fixed at Rs 97,500 as against Rs 58,500 earlier.

The Deputy Speaker’s revised emoluments including allowances have been fixed at Rs 95,000 as against   Rs 57,000 earlier.

The revised emoluments including allowances of Cabinet Ministers have been fixed at Rs 97,000 as against Rs 58,000 earlier, while that of Ministers of State have been fixed at Rs 95,000 as against Rs 57,000 earlier.

The revised emoluments including allowances of the Leader of the Opposition have been fixed at Rs 97,000 as against Rs 58,000 earlier.

The Government Chief Whip’s revised emoluments including allowances have been fixed at Rs 97,000 as against Rs 58,000 earlier and that of the Deputy Government Chief Whip have be fixed at Rs 93,000 as against Rs 56,000 earlier.

However, revised emoluments of MLAs including allowances have been fixed at Rs 1, 00,000 as against Rs 60,000 earlier.

The Cabinet approved the recommendations made by a sub committee headed by Finance Minister Sashi Bhushan Behera.

The Assembly being in session, there was no media briefing after the Cabinet meeting.

Earlier in the day, legislators cutting across party lines demanded salary hike and increase in the amount for MLA Local Area Development (LAD) fund.

The legislators from the ruling Biju Janata Dal and opposition Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party had pressed their demand before Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik at his office.