BHUBANESWAR: A day after sarpanches from across the state staged a protest in the capital, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday announced a hike in their monthly remuneration along with allowances and other benefits for the panchayatiraj representatives at all levels.
The sarpanches will now get Rs 10,000 instead of Rs 2,350 while naib sarpanches will get Rs 4,000 instead of Rs 490 per month. The daily allowance and sitting fees of panchayat samiti chairman, deputy chairman, members, sarpanch, naib sarpanch and ward members has been hiked to Rs 480 from the existing Rs 240 per day.
According to the chief minister’s office (CMO), zilla parishad presidents will now get monthly remuneration of Rs 30,000, instead of Rs 9,380. Their daily allowance and sitting fee has been increased from Rs 300 to Rs 600.
Similarly, the remuneration of zilla parishad vice-president has been hiked from Rs 7,040 to Rs 20,000. Their DA and sitting fee has also been increased from Rs 300 to Rs 600. Remuneration of zilla parishad members has been raised to Rs 10,000 from the existing Rs 3,500. They will also get the same DA+sitting fee as the zilla parishad presidents and vice-presidents.
The CMO said that the panchayat samiti chairman will now get a revised remuneration of Rs 15,000 instead of Rs 3,530 and deputy chairman will get Rs 7,500 instead of existing Rs 2,350. The panchayat samiti members will now get a revised remuneration of Rs 7,500. Earlier, they were getting Rs 2,350 per month.
The decision will cost the state exchequer an additional Rs 162.68 crore per annum. Earlier, the expenditure on remuneration and allowances of the panchayatiraj representatives was Rs 79.88 crore.
The total cost for this will now increase to Rs 242.56 crore.
Besides, in case of death during the tenure of panchayatiraj representatives, Rs 2 lakh would be paid as ex-gratia. In case of any mishap, Rs 2 lakh will be given for total disability (irrecoverable loss of both eyes, hands and feet). Similarly, in case of partial disability (irrecoverable loss of one eye, one hand or one leg) assistance of Rs 2 lakh will be given.