Karnataka MLAs demand pay hike amidst cash crunch, welfare scheme delays

Karnataka MLAs are demanding a salary increase despite the state facing a cash crunch and delays in welfare scheme payments.

Transcript

00:00The top story this time, very interesting, comes in from Karnataka and this is about

00:05our leaders in Karnataka, a state that is facing a cash crunch.

00:09They cannot pay their welfare schemes.

00:12Despite ranking highest among all these categories, the MLAs are demanding a hike in their salary.

00:19So while they are expecting everyone else to not really push for the guarantees in the

00:23schemes right now, a total of 31 MLAs in Karnataka possess assets exceeding 100 crore rupees.

00:29Deputy Chief Minister DK Shiv Kumar has declared a wealth surpassing over 1,400 crore rupees,

00:37ranking him as the second richest MLA in India, across the country.

00:42As per a report by the Association for Democratic Reforms, Karnataka leads the country in the

00:46number of billionaire MLAs.

00:48Andhra Pradesh follows in second place, 27 billionaire legislators.

00:54Maharashtra ranks third with 18.

00:57But Karnataka tops this list, so I rated it again, very interesting, Karnataka tops

01:01the list with the richest MLAs, followed by Andhra Pradesh and then Maharashtra and interestingly

01:06it is in these states that right now in Karnataka, where in total the assets of all these MLAs

01:14amount to be about 14,000 crore rupees, it's all about money.

01:18And then these MLAs now want a hike in their salary.

01:23Sagar, I am only looking at the irony of this case this morning, but tell me about

01:31this pay hike.

01:33I don't think the Karnataka MLAs are paid very poorly that they are demanding a hike

01:38at a time when there is barely any money to pay for the guarantee schemes and welfare

01:43schemes.

01:44Absolutely, the priority has been placed on all the public representatives in the state

01:50of Karnataka because there is a lot of pending amount which should be paid for the beneficiaries

01:56in the guarantees.

01:57And apart from that, even if you notice that they are also collecting, hiking the prices

02:02of electricity, water and various other things, instead of trying to compensate with the money

02:09that they are trying to get as a hike as a salary, they are demanding more money.

02:17And if you notice that ADR, the report which has been submitted has clearly stated that

02:21around 31 MLAs are the billionaires from Karnataka and these are the same MLAs who are demanding

02:28a salary hike.

02:29All right, so we'll be tracking all that and more.

02:31Remember, there are, of course, additional, the kind of reimbursements, everything that

02:37will be included in these hike as and when it happens, but Karnataka MLAs clearly feel

02:42they deserve a hike even though their constituents may not be able to really right now be able

02:48to go ahead with the salary hike.