Now Reading: Odisha minister says MLA salary hike ‘absolutely necessary’
-
01
Odisha minister says MLA salary hike ‘absolutely necessary’
Odisha Transport Minister Bibhuti Jena has called for a salary and pension hike for sitting and former MLAs, calling the existing remuneration grossly inadequate. Speaking on Thursday, Jena said a pay revision…
The Story in Brief
Odisha Transport Minister Bibhuti Jena has called for a salary and pension hike for sitting and former MLAs, calling the existing remuneration grossly inadequate. Speaking on Thursday, Jena said a pay revision is 'absolutely necessary' because the current salary cannot meet even daily expenses. He clarified that his earlier remark about Rs 150 dosa was taken out of context but stood by the need for an increase. Odishatv.in reports that Jena described the condition of ex-MLAs as 'very pathetic' and said Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has likely consulted all parties, including former CM Naveen Patnaik, before deciding on the revision.
The Indian Opinion
The usual public outrage over MLA pay hikes ignores a basic fact: a full-time legislator in Odisha earns about Rs 30,000 a month, less than a junior clerk. The narrative of pampered netas does not match the reality of ex-MLAs living on a paltry pension. What matters is not the principle of revision but the quantum. When the Finance department tables the proposal, will it cap the hike to inflation, or will it double or triple the current pay? That number will reveal if this is genuine reform or political back-scratching.
Source: odishatv.in
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
