SHILLONG: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, said the state government would make an endeavour to ensure equality is maintained in terms of financial assistance to the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) and Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC).
Independent MLA, SK Sunn pointed out the grant in aid of the state government was released to the GHADC but the request of the KHADC was not met and asserted there should be uniformity.
Sunn said on November 2013, the KHADC has sought a one-time financial assistance to clear arrears of KHADC, to which Conrad Sangma pointed out that on August 2011, a proposal for one time assistance of Rs 5.39 crore for meeting the pension payment was received from KHADC.
Conrad who replied on behalf of District Council Affairs (DCA) minister, James Sangma said the pension liability of ex-MDCs of the GHADC for the year 2013-14 was cleared while the pension of ex-MDCs of KHADC has not been cleared as the matter is pending before High Court of Meghalaya.
He added the source of funding for clearing the pension liability of the ex MDCs of the GHADC was through the grant in aid of the state government.
“The state government in 2011 was not able to give assistance to the KHADC,” Conrad said adding the state government could not give one-time assistance but to meet from the share of royalty of minerals.
Conrad informed of a Meghalaya High Court order for with regard to the payment of pension to retired employees of the GHADC and also the amount of the KHADC was twice as large which made it unfeasible as the state government was having financial difficulty.
