As many as 15 MlAs other than members of the Council of Ministers and six non-MlAs are enjoying Cabinet or Minister of State or Deputy Minister status in the State.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Bikram Keshari Arukh informed this in the State Assembly on Tuesday in response to a question of Congress MlA Tara Prasad Bahinipati.
Among MlAs other than Council of Ministers, while leader of Opposition Narasingha Mishra, Government Chief Whip Ananta Das and Nabakalebr Infrastructure Supervision Committee Chairman Maheswar Mohanty have got Cabinet ranks, 11 MlAs appointed as District Planning Committee Chairmen are enjoying Minister of State stutus and Government Deputy Chief Whip Rohit Pujari as Deputy Minister status.
Mishra, Das and Mohanty are getting salary of Rs 24,000, car allowance of Rs 10,000, sumptuary allowance of Rs 24,000, telephone/mobile charge of Rs 15,000 and refreshment of Rs 2,000 each per month. Besides, they are getting daily allowance of Rs 800 for inside State and Rs 1,000 for outside State and Rs 10 per km for hired/own car.
This apart, they are getting periodical charges for four dailies. They are eligible to get medical treatment as provided to a Class I Government officer. Government Deputy Chief Whip Pujari gets Rs 22,000 per month and equal allowances the Cabinet rankers are getting.
The 11 DPC Chairpersons have been provided a well furnished office room with telephone facilities (Rs 15,000, fax, computer, printer, internet connection and photocopier machine. A Private Secretary and a Peon have been employed for them as political appointees, whose tenure would be co-terminus with that of Chairpersons. They are provided a hired vehicle each with hiring charge of maximum of Rs 30,000 per month. They are getting honorarium of Rs 23,000 per month. Besides they are provided Rs 800 per day for journey iside the district for official purpose.
The non-MlAs who have been given Cabinet status are WODC Chairman Kishore Kumar Mohanty, Odisha Skill Development Authority Chairman Subroto Bagchi, Technology Advisor, E and IT, Sam Pitroda and Health Advisor to Odisha Government Dr K Srinath Reddy.
State Planning Board Advisor RN Das and Odisha Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board Chairperson Subash Singh are enjoying Minister of State status. While Mohany is getting Salary and other perks to other Cabinet rankers, Bagchi is taking Rs 1 as salary and Rs 15,000 per month towards telephone charges. He has been given a Government Vehicle and a driver. Pitroda is not taking any salary.
But he is provided daily allowance of Rs 800 for inside State tour and Rs 1,000 for outs State. He is also eligible for expences towards foreign tour as per Cabinet Minister.
While perks and privileges for Reddy are yet to be assessed, Das is taking no salary and sumptuary allowance. He is getting other perks given to a Minister of State. But Singh is getting salary of Rs 23,000 and other perks.