PANJIM: Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on Thursday said that the salaries of Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) will be increased in the near future to keep up with the financial liabilities arising out of their post.
“I am going to increase the salaries paid to the MLAs in the near future. I am the only person who has directly said all the time that if MLAs don’t get proper salaries, they will have a reason to start corruption. Now this does not mean that after giving the necessary hike every MLA will be clean, but at least there will be no reason for them to indulge in corruption,” Parrikar said, addressing the media on the occasion of National Press Day.
“The politician in the current situation has to be on duty 24 hours so he hardly gets time to devote for his business. That is why he should be paid well and also most of the people usually hold the individual politician accountable and not the political party due to which the elections usually throw up a fractured mandate,” Parrikar said.
He added that people should not hold individual politicians accountable, but political parties. “The voters should hold a political setup accountable. If you don’t elect a majority, you are going to get a mess and then you won’t be able to hold anyone accountable. Those who have lost this accountability have always lost the election. Whoever has shown the trend of arrogance has been sent back,” he said.
