Shillong, Jan 11: Leader of the Opposition Dr Mukul Sangma on Saturday panned the state government for the two-week long Christmas-New Year holiday, claiming that the exchequer must have run out of money to shutter its offices for so long.
The state government declared December 22-23, 29 and 31 as compensatory holidays. That meant that the last working day in 2025 was December 19 as the following two days were Saturday and Sunday. Then followed two days of compensatory holiday, the three-day Christmas break, another weekend, the December 29 compensatory holiday, a day off for the annual Kiang Nangbah Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.
Dr Sangma, a former Chief Minister, said that there had never before been such an instance of the state government shutting down for so long. Compensatory holidays are usually only declared on the days between Christmas and New Year when there are no crucial works.
“The government does not have money. By 19th (December) they didn’t have money anymore, that’s why they closed the offices and gave holidays from 22nd (December). Have you seen in the preceding years from the inception of the state offices being closed on 22nd and 23rd (December)?” Sangma said.
The opposition politician stated that when he was the CM he used to sit in his office receiving phone calls from different districts and departments coordinating the release of funds until the last moment.
Sangma questioned who gave the authority to the government to declare December 22 and 23 as holidays. The order promulgating the compensatory holidays was issued in the Meghalaya Governor’s name but decided by the state government.
Sangma said that the authorities want to deprive the people from receiving their entitlement from government payments and therefore closed the offices.
“I have checked the bank account of every bank where government money is deposited. They don’t have the money, so they closed the offices,” he claimed.
