The salaries of the Chief Minister, the Council of Ministers and MLAs have been hiked.
The state Assembly on Friday passed the West Bengal Salaries and Allowances (Amendment) Bill, 2017.
The salary of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will be Rs 27,001, an increase from Rs 8,500. The ministers will get Rs 22,000 hiked from Rs 7,500 while the ministers of state will receive Rs 21,900 from Rs 7,300. The MLAs will get Rs 17,500 from the previous wages of Rs 12,500, while the Leader of Opposition will get Rs 22,000 from Rs 10,200.
The Speaker and deputy Speaker will get Rs 27,000 and Rs 21,900 respectively.
They earlier used to get Rs 11,700 and Rs 10,600, respectively.
Nepal Mahato of Congress said in many states, the MLAs were getting around Rs 1 lakh. Also they were getting cars.
As the work of the MLAs has gone up, he demanded that they should be allowed to have a confidential assistant and the salary of the person should be anything between Rs 20,000 and Rs 25,000.
Partha Chatterjee, Parliamentary Affairs minister said that after many years, the salaries of the MLAs had been increased.
Chief Minister does not take salary nor does she stay in government accommodation. She does not even use government vehicles. "Never has a past Chief Minister stayed in such a small accommodation," he said.
Chatterjee said that some time ago, the salaries of the panchayat members had been hiked. "We work in great financial constraints. But our Chief Minister is considerate and so the salaries of the MLAs have been hiked," he pointed out.