Karnataka admits fund crunch, Assembly hikes MLAs’ salaries 
Bengaluru: At a time when the Karnataka government is facing a funds crunch, the Karnataka Assembly has cleared for its MLAs a salary hike of over 50 per cent. A bill to this effect was passed by the Karnata Assembly on Tuesday. A final memorandum by Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said that the increase in salary hikes of MLAs, CM, and ministers will incur a recurring additional expenditure of Rs 25.40 crore.
“There is a considerable increase in the cost of living. the salary and allowances to the Chief Minister, Ministers, Ministers of State, and Deputy Ministers have not been revised for a long time. Therefore, it is considered necessary to amend the Karnataka Ministers Salaries and Allowances Act 1956 for the revision of salary, house rent allowance, sumptuary allowance, conveyance allowance, etc,” the statement of objects said.
Speaking to Times Now, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said that the matter was pending for many sessions.
“It is not a question of sending a message. This is done once in five years. In the last two sessions also this was discussed. this time it is the budget session. this is not the first time it is happening,” CM Basavaraj Bommai said.
The development comes on the backdrop of the session that witnessed chaos over issues ranging from hijab to ‘saffron flag’ remarks. There were no other fruitful discussions that took place. It may be noted that Karnataka has been boiling over several issues such as the hijab row, murder of Bajrang Dal activist, minister’s ‘saffron flag’ remark among others. Despite promises, compensations for flood victims, crop loss victims, COVID-19 victims have been pending due to reported fund crunch.