Bengal Assembly special session likely on Monday to pass bill on salary hike of MLAs, ministers

NEW DELHI: Aone-day special session of the West Bengal Assembly is likely to be convened on Monday to pass a bill on the proposed increase of monthly salaries of MLAs and ministers, officials said.

The decision on salary hike of the lawmakers, announced by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in September, is expected to be ratified during this special session, they said.

Assembly Speaker Biman Banerjee said that a day-long session will most likely be held on Monday.

According to sources in the assembly, a bill on the proposed raise in monthly salaries for ministers and MLAs will be presented during the session.

The CM had on September 7 made the announcement of a hike in salaries of lawmakers on the assembly floor, stating that MLAs’ monthly salaries will be increased by Rs 40,000. Banerjee had then said there would be no revision in the chief minister’s salary as she had not been drawing any pay for a long time.

An MLA’s salary in West Bengal, including allowances and additional pay for participating in standing committee meetings and House sessions, amounts to Rs 81,000, while a state minister gets Rs 1.10 lakh including allowances.

Source: Press Trust of India