Kolkata/IBNS: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday announced a hike in salaries of all state MLAs except for herself.

During an assembly session, Mamata announced all MLAs including the ministers will get a hike by Rs. 40,000.

With the hike, the MLAs' salaries increased to at least (if not ministers) Rs. 50,000 from the previous Rs. 10,000.

However, she refused to revise her salary.

When Speaker Biman Bandyopadhyay insisted that she too revise her salary, the Chief Minister said, "I have been an MP for seven terms which allow me to take a pension of Rs. one lakh. But I haven't taken a single penny."

"I get enough royalties from my books to fulfill my basic needs," she added.

Earlier, Mamata's government passed a resolution in the assembly to mark Poila Boishakh or Bengali New Year (April 15) as the foundation day.

Passing the bill, Mamata announced her government will celebrate the foundation day on Bengali New Year or Poila Boishakh even if Governor CV Ananda Bose, who is at loggerheads with the State, disapproves it.

In reference to Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari's speech, Mamata said, "We don't care whether the Governor approves or not. We will celebrate foundation day on Poila Boishakh.

"Let me see whose power is more, the people of a nominated person. I wouldn't have said this had the Governor not been dragged into the discussion."