Orissa MLAs to get three-fold pay hike

The enhanced salary structure for the MLAs and others would be implemented retrospectively with effect from April one, 2010, Chief Secretary Bijay Kumar Patnaik told reporters after the cabinet meeting.

The Chief Minister`s salary was raised from Rs 20,000 to Rs 59,000 while that of cabinet ministers hiked from Rs 18,000 to Rs 58,000, he said adding the salary of ministers of state was increased from Rs 16,000 to Rs 57,000.

The salary of the assembly speaker was hiked from Rs 19,000 to Rs 58,000 while the deputy speaker`s salary was raised from Rs 16,000 to Rs 57,000.

In case of MLAs, the basic pay was hiked from Rs 5,000 to Rs 16,000, while constituency and secretarial allowance was fixed at Rs 13,000, medical allowance at Rs 5000, conveyance at Rs 7000, fixed advance at Rs 8000, books, periodicals and newspaper allowance at Rs 1000, electricity allowance Rs 2000 and Rs 8000 for telephone expenses.

Pension of ex-MLAs was raised from Rs 6000 to Rs 15,000.