Naveen Patnaik, the Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Odisha Legislative Assembly, on Saturday, wrote a letter to Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, announcing his decision to forgo the recently hiked salary and allowances designated for the LoP.
Patnaik has formally requested the state government to utilise the saved amount for the welfare of the poor people of Odisha.
As the LoP, Patnaik was entitled to receive a monthly salary and allowance of Rs 3.62 lakh after the House passed a bill enhancing the salary and allowance of chief minister, speaker, leader of opposition, ministers, and MLAs on December 9.
Patnaik, in a letter to CM Majhi, said, “I would like to forgo the salary and allowances hiked for Leader of Opposition, which the Odisha Legislative Assembly has recently passed. I would like to request you to utilise the same for the welfare of poor people of our state.”
A five-time former chief minister of Odisha, Patnaik said that he has been blessed by the love, affection and support of the people of Odisha for more than 25 years.
“I am highly indebted to the people of Odisha and their love towards me and my late father Biju Patnaik,” he said.
Patnaik further said, “You (CM) may kindly be aware that in 2015 our family decided to donate its ancestral property ‘Anand Bhawan’ in Cuttack to be put for use by the people of Odisha. In the same spirit, I would like to forgo the salary and allowances hiked for the Leader of Opposition, which the Odisha Legislative Assembly has recently passed.”
I have been blessed by the love, affection and support of the people of #Odisha for the past more than 25 years. I am highly indebted to the people of Odisha and their love towards me and my late father Biju Patnaik.
Previously our family decided to donate its ancestral… pic.twitter.com/XAzIxvbxwA
— Naveen Patnaik (@Naveen_Odisha) December 13, 2025
The recent decision by Leader of Opposition (LoP) Naveen Patnaik to forgo his newly hiked salary and allowances echoes a legendary precedent set by his late father, Biju Patnaik.
Sources said that when Biju Patnaik served his second term as the Chief Minister of Odisha between 1990 and 1995, he used to take only Rupee 1 as salary and allowance from the State Assembly.
According to provisions of the bill passed in the Assembly on December 9, the chief minister will receive a package of Rs 3.74 lakh per month, while the Speaker and deputy chief ministers will get Rs 3.68 lakh, cabinet ministers and the government chief whip will get Rs 3.62 lakh. MLAs will now get Rs 3.45 lakh per month. Earlier, MLAs used to get Rs 1.11 lakh per month.
In a similar spirit, another legislator has pledged to dedicate the enhanced funds to public welfare. BJP MLA Babu Singh from Bhubaneswar-Ekaamra has also announced that he will donate his increased salary and allowance to a poor person within his constituency.
