JOWAI: The chief executive member of the JHADC, Awhoi Andrew Shullai, tabled the deficit budget of Rs 21.68 crore on the first day of the Budget session on Wednesday.
The CEM, who is also in charge of the District Council Financial Affairs, told the House that the high deficit is due to various reasons, including price escalation and adaptation and implementation of the Meghalaya Fifth Pay Commission that became effective from January 1, 2017.
“An additional amount of Rs 18 crore annually is required to meet the cost of establishment besides clearance of 40 percent of the revised pay arrears for officers and staff of the council,” he said.
The JHADC estimated receipt of Rs 145.5 crore with an estimated expenditure of Rs 167.19 crore.
The council estimated receipts from its own sources as Rs 19.79 crore and the royalty from minor and major minerals as Rs 90 crore. The expected grant from the state government is Rs 35.74 crore.
The CEM also informed the house that during the current financial year, the total amount received from the state government in the form of royalty on major and minor minerals is Rs 47.65 crore and Rs 8.17 crore, respectively, and Rs 10.74 crore as grant-in aid whereby it is equally divided among members at Rs 35 lakh each.
Though many members supported the budget, Marki Mulieh and Joinriwel Pyrtuh raised questions over grants to various departments.
Mulieh said allocation of Rs 15 lakh to the Khliehriat Town Committee is low as compared to Rs 67 lakh in the previous years.
Pyrtuh said the creation of new posts in the district council would adversely affect its revenue.
“The JHADC has estimated expenditures for five more DCLP schools. The District Council has already 1,655 staff and not to deny that it faces difficulty in paying salary to them,” he added.
The budget will be passed on the second day of the session after a threadbare discussion.
