Odisha Assembly Triples MLA Salaries to Rs 3.45 Lakh Monthly: Complete Breakdown of New Compensation Package

The Odisha Assembly has unanimously approved a significant salary increase for its members, tripling their monthly compensation from Rs 1.11 lakh to Rs 3.45 lakh, making it one of the highest in India.

Bhubaneswar:

On Tuesday, the Odisha Assembly passed four bills that dramatically increased the monthly salary of legislators by more than three times - raising it from Rs 1.11 lakh to Rs 3.45 lakh, positioning their compensation among the highest for state legislators in India.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mukesh Mahaling announced that the enhanced salary will be retroactively effective from June 2024, coinciding with the formation of the 17th Assembly. The bills were passed unanimously by the House.

The legislation also substantially increased the compensation for the chief minister, ministers, speaker, deputy speaker, and the leader of the opposition by approximately three times. Additionally, pensions for former MLAs saw a similar increase.

The approved bills include a provision of Rs 25 lakh assistance to families of sitting MLAs in case of death. Another important feature is the automatic review of pay, allowances, and pensions every five years. Notably, one bill now permits such increases through ordinance without requiring new legislation.

Currently, Odisha lawmakers receive a monthly package of around Rs 1.11 lakh, which includes salary, allowances, and other financial benefits. With the new legislation, this package will rise to Rs 3,45,000.

This 3.10 times increase fulfills a long-standing demand from legislators dating back to 2007. All assembly members expressed gratitude to the chief minister for approving the four bills enhancing salary and pension benefits.

Under the new structure, an MLA will receive Rs 90,000 as base salary plus several allowances: Rs 75,000 for constituency/secretarial expenses, Rs 50,000 for conveyance, Rs 10,000 for books and periodicals, Rs 20,000 for electricity, Rs 50,000 as fixed traveling allowance, Rs 35,000 for medical expenses, and Rs 15,000 for telephone expenses.

Former MLAs will receive Rs 1.17 lakh in pension benefits, comprising Rs 80,000 as pension, Rs 25,000 for medical allowances, and Rs 12,500 as traveling allowance. For each additional term served, an ex-MLA will receive an extra Rs 3,000.

The legislation establishes new monthly compensation rates for top officials: the chief minister will receive Rs 3,74,000, the Assembly Speaker and Deputy Chief Minister will get Rs 3,68,000, while the deputy speaker and ministers of state will receive Rs 3,56,000 each. Cabinet ministers and the opposition leader will be entitled to Rs 3,62,000 monthly.

The government chief whip will receive Rs 3,62,000, and the deputy chief whip Rs 3,50,000 per month.

The four bills passed were: the Odisha Legislative Assembly Members' Salary, Allowances and Pension (Amendment) Bill 2025, the Speaker's Salary and Allowances (Amendment) Bill 2025, the Deputy Speaker's Salary and Allowances (Amendment) Bill 2025, and the Ministers' Salary and Allowances (Amendment) Bill 2025.

Legislators across party lines supported the bills, unanimously agreeing that the revision was necessary to align compensation with current responsibilities and economic realities.

Opposition chief whip and former Speaker Pramila Mallik noted, "The hike in pension will particularly help the former MLAs who have been old and sick."