Bhubaneswar, December 13: Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik on Saturday sent a letter to Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, requesting that he forgo the recent hike in salary and allowances granted to the Leader of Opposition by the Odisha Legislative Assembly.

In his letter, Patnaik expressed gratitude for the overwhelming love and support he and his family have received from the people of Odisha over the past 25 years. He emphasized that both he and his father, the late Biju Patnaik, remain indebted to the people of the state. Additionally, Patnaik highlighted that his family had donated their ancestral property, ‘Anand Bhawan’ in Cuttack, for the welfare of the people of Odisha.

Patnaik, maintaining this spirit of selflessness, opted to relinquish the increased salary and allowance provided by the recent legislative decision for the Leader of Opposition.

The bill, passed by the Odisha Assembly last week, brought about a significant hike in the salaries of elected representatives. The new provisions triple the monthly salary of the Chief Minister, Ministers, and MLAs, and also implement a threefold increase in the pensions of former legislators, positioning Odisha among the highest-paying states for elected officials.

Under the new structure, the Chief Minister’s monthly salary has been raised to ₹3.74 lakh. The Deputy CM will now receive ₹3.68 lakh, while Cabinet Ministers will earn ₹3.62 lakh. Ministers of State will receive ₹3.56 lakh, and the Speaker’s salary has been increased to ₹3.68 lakh. The Deputy Speaker will earn ₹3.56 lakh, while the Leader of the Opposition and the Government Chief Whip will both receive ₹3.62 lakh per month. MLAs will now earn ₹3.45 lakh per month, a substantial rise from ₹1.10 lakh in 2007.