Salary hike for Ministers and MLAs

TT, Kolkata: Mamata Banerjee, who does not accept her salary as the chief minister of Bengal, is eligible for a monthly pay of Rs 27,001 from April 1, a hike of 217.66 per cent.

Had she accepted her monthly salary, along with the daily allowance allotted for ministers, she would have taken home Rs 89,001 in a 31-day month.

The Bengal Assembly on Friday passed amendments to sanction hikes in salaries and daily allowances for ministers and monthly pay for legislators.

The West Bengal Salaries and Allowances (Amendment) Bill, 2017 — for ministers — and The Bengal Legislative Assembly (Members’ Emoluments) (Amendment) Bill, 2017 — for MLAs — have paved the way for hikes ranging from 40 per cent to 217.66 per cent.

Although the Opposition, led by Left legislature party leader Sujan Chakraborty, objected to the move in public, many in the rival camp welcomed the decision in private.

“Even after this hike, MLAs and ministers in Bengal are among the lowest paid in the country. This is something, at least,” a senior Congress MLA said.