SUNDAY, JULY 07, 2024
Team Herald
PORVORIM: Amid protest and walkout by two opposition Congress MLAs, the Legislative Assembly on Thursday passed The Goa Salary, Allowances and Pension of Members of the Legislative Assembly (Amendment) Bill 2023.
As Minister for Law, Judiciary and Legislative Affairs Nilesh Cabral moved the bill, Congress MLA Altone D’Costa objected to it and demanded that the funds should be utilised on public welfare. He pointed out that MLAs were not informed 36 hours prior to introduction of the bill which was against the rules.
“The State has a debt of Rs 28,000 crore. There is no need for an increment. Perks of panchayat members and sarpanchas are not being enhanced but the government is increasing perks of MLAs. Why increase the perks of MLAs? Give it to the cause of social welfare. Give it to the Laadli Laxmi scheme,” he said.
The Chief Minister informed the House that the salary and allowances of MLAs have been revised after 10 years. He said only petrol quota, medical bills, vehicle loan limit with rate of interest and housing loan with rate of interest have been increased. Also, two additional staff have been sanctioned, Sawant said. This on closer look pretty much amounts to everything
However, defending the bill, Cabral said those who do not require increased allowances are free not to take them. “MLAs pay rate of interest on car loans or housing loans. If any MLA does not avail the allowances, they are free to do so,” he said.
Power Minister Sudin Dhavalikar claimed that he had not used medical bills in spite of undergoing a major surgery nor had he obtained a housing loan. “We need to understand that all MLAs are not landlords,” he said.
Nuvem MLA Aleixo Sequeira pointed out that a meeting of MLAs was held two days back with the Speaker on this issue and everybody had agreed to increase the allowances and perks. He alleged that there was no unity in the opposition Congress. Margao MLA Digambar Kamat and Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai too spoke in favour of the bill.
Opposing this, Leader of the Opposition Yuri Alemao said, “We have the right to discuss in the House whatever was discussed in the meeting. As per the rules, the bill should have been introduced three days ago. Why was it not done so?”
Agitated, Yuri and D’Costa rushed to the well of the House and later staged a walkout.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said the Speaker has power to relax the rules. He said like earlier, all leaders of all the parties were taken into confidence before taking the decision.
Benaulim MLA Venzy Viegas asked why the Minister did not inform that the bill was being introduced, overwriting the Rule 141 of Business and Conduct of Assembly.
However, Cabral said when the bill was allowed to be introduced, it was deemed that the Speaker had relaxed the rules.
