The recent hike in the salary and allowances of Odisha’s MLAs has sparked widespread debate across the state. While the increase in pay has drawn attention, it is the steep rise in various allowances-particularly for electricity, telephone, books, travel, and medical expenses, that has generated the most public scrutiny.

Under the revised structure, MLAs will now receive Rs 20,000 per month for electricity expenses, up from Rs 5,000, and Rs 15,000 for telephone bills, tripling the previous limit. Critics argue that such increases are hard to justify at a time when annual costs for unlimited calls and data range between Rs 4,000 and Rs 6,000. The book allowance has also been raised significantly from Rs 2,000 to Rs 10,000 a month, along with a jump in medical allowance from Rs 5,000 to Rs

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