Councilors demanded an increase in their allowances and threatened to protest if their demands were not met.
Rajgangpur. (14:03): Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik recently announced a salary increase for representatives of Municipal Corporation, Municipality, and Notified Area Councils. While this decision brought joy to Mayor, Deputy Mayor, Chairman, and Vice Chairman, it sparked anger among municipal councilors. In response, aggrieved councilors submitted a memorandum to the Executive Officer of Rajgangpur Municipality via Sundergarh District Magistrate, urging the determination of ward councilors’ salaries.
Upon learning about the increase in their allowance, councilors were pleased with the state government’s decision to raise their allowance from Rs 150 to Rs 500. However, while salaries for Zilla Parishad, Sarpanch, and committee members have been determined, salaries for grassroots level ward councilors remain undecided. Councilors devote significant time to addressing public issues, from personal to professional matters, and are actively involved in community welfare initiatives. They also play a crucial role in disseminating information about government schemes and providing assistance to constituents in need, including financial aid for medical emergencies and regional festivals. Despite their contributions, councilors struggle to balance their responsibilities with family commitments and often find it challenging to meet household expenses. Councilors have long sought salary fixation, and they urge the government to reconsider and set their salaries at Rs 15,000 per month, along with providing medical benefits worth Rs 5 lakh. During the submission of the memorandum, several councilors, including Kundan Singh, P V K Koya, Simran Tanti, Nivedita Behera, Govardhan Tanti, Budhnarayan Sahu, and Pyari Tirki, voiced their concerns.
