Goa Assembly passes Bill to  increase MLA benefits

Goemkarponn desk

PANAJI: The Goa Salary, Allowances and Pension of Members of the Legislative Assembly (Amendment) Bill, 2023, was approved by the assembly on Thursday. The bill will boost legislators’ allowances and is projected to cost the state exchequer Rs 19 crore annually.

MLA wages have not increased, according to CM Pramod Sawant, but other benefits have, such as the medical allowance, limits on housing and auto loans, and an increase in the monthly petrol quota from 300 to 500 liters.

After ten years, according to Sawant, the salary and loan limitations have been raised. He claimed that Manohar Parrikar, who was the CM at the time, last raised them in 2013.

More than 60% of MLAs don’t use the reimbursement. “The opposition is acting as if it only cares about the state’s citizens,” Sawant remarked. “Don’t accept (the allowance) if you don’t want it. No one has been coerced by us.

More than 60% of MLAs don’t use the reimbursement. “The opposition is acting as if it only cares about the state’s citizens,” Sawant remarked. “Don’t accept (the allowance) if you don’t want it. No one has been coerced by us.

Altone D’Costa, a Quepem MLA, questioned why the administration tabled this law while the state’s citizens are burdened with a debt of Rs 28,000 crore. Who desires this? We are satisfied with the gas allotment. Spending money on MLAs is not necessary, according to D’Costa.

According to D’Costa, the administration intends to boost the compensation for MLAs but does not increase it for panchayat members. “We don’t want an increase,” he declared.

According to law minister Nilesh Cabral, “Some MLAs can surrender the remaining quota if they don’t want to use up the allotted amount of fuel.” The bill had been introduced by him in the House.

Power minister Ramkrishna “Sudin” Dhavalikar raised a point of order and stated that he has never requested medical payments or a mortgage. He asserted that not all legislators are wealthy and face challenges in their districts. According to him, that is why the bill was presented.

Yuri Alemao, the head of the opposition, claimed that negotiations indicated that this bill ought to have been presented to the House three days prior. He questioned, “Under what pretext has this bill now been brought?

Later, some opposition lawmakers hurried to the House floor to denounce the bill’s passage.

“There is a lack of confidence between state residents and MLAs. People believe that MLAs are sitting in the House to commit crimes. We are unable to explain to the public why inflation is on the rise, according to Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai. “Parrikar once outlined this. You need to fully explain this. You seem to be speaking with the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in mind.

The hike is expected to put an additional burden of Rs 19 crore on State coffers. As per the hike, allowance on the days when the Assembly session is in progress will be increased from Rs 3,000 to Rs 4,000 while the car loan limit will be increased from Rs 15 lakh to Rs 40 lakh. The loan limit for purchasing a house increased from Rs 30 lakh to Rs 45 lakh.

Also, MLA’s pension has increased from Rs 15,000 to Rs 30,000 per month while the annual hike has been enhanced from Rs 2,000 to Rs 4,000 with a ceiling of Rs two lakh instead of the existing Rs 75,000. Allowance for fuel also increased from 300 litres to 500 litres. Also MLAs will be allowed seven staff, instead of five.