Shillong, Aug 25: Come November 1, the State government will pay salaries of all the three autonomous district councils in the Khasi, Jaiñtia and Garo Hills.
Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma made an official announcement on Monday terming the decision “historic”.
With the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) employees left unpaid for 43 months the government is receiving backlash from different quarters.
Sangma said a committee has been constituted to engage with the district councils in 45 days.
According to the Chief Minister the annual salary to be paid to the GHADC employees is around Rs. 70 crore, whereas the revenue doesn’t even touch Rs. 30 crore. “There is a huge gap between revenue and expenditure,” he said.
The Jaiñtia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC) and the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (ADCs) are facing the same situation, he added.
“There will be no interference in the day-to-day functioning or into the jurisdiction of the district councils. “Our intention is only to bring financial stability, a proper system, so that the councils are able to pay salaries on time for them to function and work as per the Constitution,” Sangma said.
The Chief Minister, who earlier in the day met Governor Chandrashekhar H Vijayashankar to lay down the decision made, informed that the State Cabinet will officially be taken up on Tuesday.
Pointing out that the autonomous district councils are important institutions in Meghalaya, he said, “It is absolutely necessary for the state government to ensure that not only do the councils work properly but they also thrive and different aspects of our traditions, culture and land holding are taken care of.”
