Shillong, Aug 1:Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong has advised district councils to cut down expenses and generate their own revenue.
This comes at a time when employees of the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) and Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC) continue to grapple with months of unpaid salaries.
“Even two to three months without pay is a lot. How do employees survive for that long?” He stressed that it is now up to the wisdom of the respective ADCs to manage their finances effectively and recognise the gravity of the crisis they are in,” he said.
Asking the district councils to “minimise unnecessary expenditure,” he warned that overspending beyond income would only worsen their financial woes.
He stated that the government had intervened in the past by releasing advance shares due to the councils, but said that such bailouts cannot be a long-term solution. “We will again examine the situation and see what can be done. But at the same time, we have to remind the councils that they are responsible for their own financial management,” he said.
Tynsong pointed out that delayed salary payments are not a new problem. “This has been going on for years — six months, seven months, eight months of delays. Except for the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC), it has been a pattern,” he stated.
When asked about GHADC’s allegation of fund misappropriation amounting to over Rs 100 crore by the Centre, the Deputy Chief Minister said it was premature to draw conclusions. “Audit is underway. Let us wait for the report. Only then can we say whether misappropriation occurred or not,” he added.
