Kolkata, Sept 07: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee declared on Thursday that salaries for Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) in the state would see an increase of ₹40,000 per month.
The announcement, made during a session in the West Bengal Assembly, comes as a response to what Chief Minister Banerjee described as inadequate compensation for MLAs in comparison to their counterparts in other states.
Mamata Banerjee, while announcing the salary hike, also clarified that her own salary as the Chief Minister would remain unaltered, as she had voluntarily refrained from drawing a salary for an extended period.
“The salary of MLAs of the West Bengal Assembly is very less compared to that of other states. So it has been decided that their salaries will be hiked by ₹40,000 per month,” stated Chief Minister Banerjee.
Although a specific breakdown of the revised salaries for MLAs, including all allowances and additional payments for their roles in various standing committees, was not provided during the announcement, the salary hike is expected to substantially improve the financial status of elected representatives in West Bengal.
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Earlier in the day, the West Bengal Assembly saw the passage of a resolution, supported by a majority vote, designating Poila Baisakh (Bengali New Year) on April 15 as “Bengal Day.” This decision, led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, underlines the state government’s commitment to this occasion, irrespective of the approval or disapproval of the state’s governor, with whom Banerjee has been involved in a public dispute.
The resolution received the backing of 167 members in the 294-member House, while 62 MLAs from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), advocating for the observation of June 20th as the state day due to the Bengal assembly’s vote in favor of partition, voted against it. The Indian Secular Front (ISF) MLA abstained from voting.
The resolution, introduced under Rule 169, proposed the observance of Poila Baisakh as “Bangla Diwas” and the adoption of Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore’s ‘Banglar Mat, Banglar Jol’ (Bengal’s soil, Bengal’s Water) as the state song.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed her support for designating Rabindranath Tagore’s ‘Banglar Mati Banglar Jol’ as the official song of Bengal, emphasizing the rejection of June 20th as it is associated with violence and bloodshed that marked the partition as the state’s foundation day.
This move to increase the salaries of MLAs in West Bengal could be seen as a significant development in the state’s political landscape. It reflects a commitment to providing better compensation for elected representatives and addressing disparities in pay compared to other states.
However, it is also likely to face scrutiny and debates, given the financial implications and the broader context of political discourse in West Bengal. As the state continues to navigate these developments, it remains to be seen how this decision will impact the state’s political dynamics and the welfare of its elected officials.
