The poverty level of this state is about 42.16 percent. Its social indicators such as literacy, enrollment, infant mortality, and child nutrition are below the all-India average. 

However, in the list of amount of salaries and allowances paid to people’s representatives, Jharkhand stands at the top. This has come to light following an analysis of MLA salaries across India by The Indian Express. 

Its report, based on state Assemblies and media reports, shows that Jharkhand MLAs are now set to earn the highest salary in the country at Rs 2.9 lakh a month after a committee had hiked MLAs’ salaries in August this year. The hike is yet to be cleared by the Assembly though.

The Indian Express report claims that after Jharkhand, Maharashtra has the highest MLA salary at Rs 2.6 lakh a month, followed by Telangana and Manipur at Rs 2.5 lakh each. 

Only eight states offer salaries higher than Rs 2 lakh a month. At the bottom end are five states with salaries lower than Rs 1 lakh a month. Kerala has the country’s lowest MLA salary at Rs 70,000. 

Though Delhi hiked its MLA salary last year by 67%, it’s still the fourth lowest in India. In terms of total expenditure, Uttar Pradesh is at the top, spending approximately Rs 90.4 crore on MLA salaries per year, also because it has the highest number of MLAs, at 403. 

In contrast, Puducherry spends just Rs 4.2 crore on salaries every year, given that it has a 33-MLA House, according to the Indian Express analysis.