SHILLONG, March 9: Chief Minister Conrad Sangma on Tuesday informed that the State government has released one fourth of the remaining 30 per cent arrear dues of the Government employees which is 7.5% of the overall arrears and the release of the 22.5 percent remaining arrears will be considered during the current financial year subjected to availability of fund.
“The State Government has released one fourth of the 30 percent arrears which is 7.5 percent of the overall arrears on February 11, 2021,” informed Sangma.
The Chief Minister said this while replying to a query of Opposition Chief Whip, PT Sawkmie raised during the question and answer session on the third day of the ongoing Meghalaya Legislative Assembly Budget Session.
Stating that during the financial year there has been huge shortfall in the monthly entitlements due to the State from the central government, the Chief Minister in his reply said that this is on account of the reduction in the collection owing to COVID-19 pandemic.
He said that the State government is making all efforts to prudently manage the finances despite the challenging times.
“Accordingly release of the 22.5 percent remaining arrears during the current financial year 2020-2021 will be considered subject to availability of fund,” he added.
Raising a supplementary question, the Opposition Chief Whip enquired whether the is release of the 7.5 percent of the overall arrears have been accepted or not by the employees to which the Chief Minister replied that it is the endevaour of the State Government to clear the amount due to them and this was an amount that was supposed to be cleared in three installments.
“As I’ve mentioned earlier discussions took place with them, the Chief Secretary has met the employees they are aware of conditions and situation we face. It is in the endeavour of the government to do our best to ensure that remaining part of the amount is cleared at the earliest,” he said.
On the shortfall of finances, the Chief Minister informed that the central devolution of taxes was budgeted at Rs 6,490 cr but the actual the State Government received was Rs 4,698 crore which is a shortfall of 1,792.
“ In the states own taxes there was a budget estimate 2,377 but the actual were at 1,859 so there was a shortfall of 518 crore,” he added.
The Chief Minister also said that employees are backbone of a system and it is the top priority for the State Government to clear their dues and will work towards clearing it.