SHILLONG, Feb 26: The state Cabinet on Friday approved the proposal of the Finance department to reimburse 95 per cent of dues payable to the Income Tax department by non-tribal All India Service (AIS) officers serving in the state and 25 per cent income tax dues of the state’s tribal employees working in state government offices outside Meghalaya.
Informing this after the Cabinet meeting here on Friday, Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong said, “As per the Income Tax Act, the non-tribal AIS officers have to pay income tax throughout the nation and I think we are the first state government to have taken the decision”.
“For those non-tribal AIS officers, who are not exempted from payment of income tax, and who work and serve in the state, the state government has decided to reimburse 95 percent of the total amount due to the Income Tax department,” he added.
Citing the reason for the decision, the deputy chief minister said, “The senior AIS officials come to Meghalaya from different parts of the country and we want to make sure they also get some special incentives… that is why we approved it and henceforth, 95 per cent of their dues payable to the Income Tax department will be reimbursed by the state government”.
Furthermore, the deputy chief minister informed that the Cabinet discussed about the state government tribal employees posted outside Meghalaya, working in places like Meghalaya House and offices of the state government.
“The government has decided that tribal officers or employees (posted in state offices outside the state) who have to pay income tax, would be reimbursed annually,” Tynsong said.
On the expenditure to be incurred, the deputy chief minister said that for the AIS officers, the state government would have to spend not less than Rs 1.45 crore annually.
“For the state tribal employees working outside in different departments of the state government, the concerned departments have been directed to work out the exact annual expenditure,” he said.
The deputy chief minister also clarified that the AIS officers also go out on deputation. The reimbursement package will be stopped while the officers are out on deputation, but they will be entitled shortly after they rejoin duty in the state.
“The government feels the need to do something for our officers who come and serve the state of Meghalaya….so why not we also show some kind of goodness to them by extending this special package to all the senior AIS officers posted in Meghalaya,” he said.
Referring to the circular from the Finance Ministry on incentives to AIS officers working in different states, the deputy chief minister said that till date, no other state government has taken such a decision to provide reimbursement.
“Meghalaya is more or less income tax-free and the state government feels that under the provisions of the circular issued by the Finance Ministry, the officers can be reimbursed. Therefore, the state government has taken this decision today and from now on they will be reimbursed up to 95 per cent,” he added.
To a query that the decision has been taken despite the pending teachers’ salaries and arrears, the deputy chief Minister countered by asking that with Rs 1.45crore (the annual reimbursement amount), how much of the pending salaries and arrears could be cleared. “You are not calculating from the other side of the coin,” he said.
“If our senior officers get inspired, instead of working only eight hours, they may work 10 to 15 hours… therefore, we have calculated judiciously and taken this decision,” he added.
He further said, “When you talk about pending salaries and arrears… of course, we cannot pay in one, two or three months. But we assure those who are entitled to outstanding arrears will be paid”.