Orissa MLAs'' salary hiked three-fold

Bhubaneswar, Feb 11 (PTI) In a bonanza for MLAs andministers in the state, Orissa cabinet today effected athree-fold hike to the monthly salary of legislators in viewof inflation.

The enhanced salary structure for the MLAs andothers would be implemented retrospectively with effect fromApril one, 2010, Chief Secretary B K Patnaik told reportersafter the cabinet meeting.

The Chief Minister''s salary was raised from Rs 20,000to Rs 59,000 while that of cabinet ministers hiked from Rs18,000 to Rs 58,000, he said adding the salary of ministers ofstate was increased from Rs 16,000 to Rs 57,000.

The salary of the assembly speaker was hiked from Rs19,000 to Rs 58,000 while the deputy speaker''s salary wasraised from Rs 16,000 to Rs 57,000.

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

Pension of ex-MLAs was raised from Rs 6000 to Rs15,000.