Karnataka: No salaries for PAs of Legislative Council members for 8 months

Personal Assistants (PAs) of several members of the Legislative Council have not been paid salary for the last eight months because of the non-allocation of budgetary funds.

Mr B J Puttawamy (BJP) raised this issue under Rule 330 and explained the woes of PAs who were appointed on contract basis, but not paid salary for the last eight months. According to him, the reason for non-payment of salary was non-allocation of budget funds because of which the deputy commissioners were not in a position to ensure their payment. As on today, Rs 66 lakh was pending and the MLCs were unable to help their personal assistants. Each PA is given a monthly payment of Rs 14,500. "We have to cut a sorry figure before the public because of our inability to help our PAs".

Revenue Minister Kagodu Thimmappa promised to look into it but questioned the dues as claimed by the BJP member. This irked the BJP members who entered into a wordy duel with the minister. JD(S) member Basavaraj Horatti then asked Mr Thimmappa to take immediate steps for release of funds.