BHUBANESHWAR: MLAs cutting across party lines today met Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in the Assembly and urged him to hike in their salary and an increase in the amount for MLA Local Area Development (LAD) fund.
The members of ruling BJD, Opposition Congress and BJP said that there was every justification to hike the salary of MLAs after the state government implemented the recommendation of the 7th pay commission for the government employees.
"We have been making demands for different categories of people. This time, the MLAs have urged the chief minister to increase the salary of law-makers," said Congress chief whip Tara Prasad Bahinipati.
BJD spokesman and MLA Samir Ranjan Dash said "all MLAs today met the chief minister and requested him for salary hike of the legislators.”
Dash said the MLAs also wanted increase in the amount of MLA Local Area Development (LAD) fund to Rs three crore from Rs one crore. "Since funds available to MLAs are inadequate, they are unable to meet demands of the local people. Therefore, the LAD fund should be increased," Dash said.