CM justifies govt move

SHILLONG, March 4: Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma today justified the state government’s decision to reimburse 95 per cent of the total income tax payable by the All India Service (AIS) officers serving in the state, saying that a section of officers cannot be treated through a different yardstick.
“We were clear that the decision cannot be diverse. This is specifically to the AIS officers. This is also in line with the fact that the central government provides similar benefits to our officers serving in Delhi while respective state governments also extend similar benefits to those serving in other parts of the country,” Sangma told reporters here.
Meanwhile, Health Minister AL Hek has asked the AIS officers to give some reimbursement to the state government since the state provides them with various facilities like bungalows, cars, chowkidars and other staff.
“They (AIS) officers are getting huge salary compared to other employees; why do they need reimbursement? Since they are being charged only a certain percentage of Income Tax, they should rather contribute to the state,” Hek said.Stating that the AIS officers have been given land in the city at throwaway prices, he pointed out that bureaucrats were not the only category of officers who work hard for the state.
“There are doctors in Civil Hospital and there are teachers in NEHU who are all serving the state. The same yardstick should be applied for all without any discrimination,” the BJP leader said.
Hek also said that there is nothing wrong about paying Income Tax as it is public money which will come back to the public in the form of development.