The cash-strapped state government increased monthly emoluments of its ministers and MLAs at a time when around 10 lakh employees are fighting a legal battle demanding hike in their dearness allowance (DA).
From now, cabinet ministers, ministers of state and MLAs will get a hike of Rs 40,000 each.
The chief minister Mamata Banerjee announced her government’s decision to increase the salary of her cabinet colleagues and legislatures on Thursday while addressing the last monsoon session in the Legislative Assembly.
“MLAs of Bengal will get a monthly hike of Rs 40,000 each in their allowance. MLAs in our state get the lowest allowance in the country. Salary of a MLA will shoot up to Rs 50,000 from existing Rs 10,000 per month. A minister of state (MoS)will get Rs 50,900. The exist- ing salary of MoS is Rs 10,900,” Miss Banerjee announced.
A cabinet minister’s salary will be Rs 51,000 after the hike of Rs 40,000.
“As a former MP and chief minister I don’t take any salary and allowance,” she said in the
Assembly.
The speaker Biman Bandy opadhyay requested her to take the increased salary.
MLAs belonging to both ruling Trinamul Congress and opposition Bharatiya Janata Party are happy with the announcement.
Apart from the monthly salary, a minister incharge gets around Rs 1.10 lakh, including several other allowances and parks while it’s Rs 81,000 for an MLA.
This is for the second time since 2011, when the Trinamul Congress came to power, that the chief minister increased the salary of ministers and MLAs.
Two Bills, The West Bengal Legislative Assembly Bill, 2017 and The West Bengal Salaries and Allowance (Amendment) Bill, 2017 have recently been passed in the Assembly.
The agitating state government employees have come down heavily on the chief minister for giving a huge hike in monthly salary of ministers and MLAs.
“With making such an announcement the government once again proved that there is no democracy in the state. The chief minister said her government is bankrupt while paying our DA but for ministers and MLAs she is generous,” the agitating state government employees said.
Three under-trial prisoners Partha Chatterjee, Manik Bhattacharya and Jeebankrishna Saha, who were arrested by the central investigating agency in connection with their alleged involvement in the school service recruitment scam would also get the revised salary.