Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma promised all assistance to the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) in an effort to solve the imbroglio surrounding the non-payment of employee salaries.
He also appealed to the employees of the council to return to work while the government and the executive committee of the GHADC work out ways to clear the pending salaries at the earliest.
The decision to assist the GHADC in resolving the crisis comes after a high-level meeting between the CM, senior officials of the district council, Finance and Legal Departments, the Chief Executive Member Benedic Marak and Deputy CEM of the GHADC.
Employees of the GHADC, under the aegis of the Non Gazetted Employees Association (NGEA), has been protesting the non-payment of their salaries of over 34 months and have refused to re-join work. Last week was the most chaotic since the start of the agitation, with FIRs and counter FIRs being filed by the protesting employees and council administration.
The NGEA has been demanding the release of the employees’ arrears according to the new pay scale, though the GHADC has only been willing, or able, to release five months’ dues according to the old scale.
Today, Conrad informed that the state government will provide all support to the GHADC in an effort to clear the arrears of the employees but also appealed to them to get back to work.
The transfer of five months of salaries is expected to begin next week and will be sourced from advances provided by the state government from the GHADC’s share of state income.
Meanwhile, after the meeting with the state officials, Benedic once again appealed to the employees to return to work and assist the GHADC in getting back on track.
