District Council Affairs (DCA) Minister Lahkmen Rymbui today said that it is not the responsibility of the state government to pay the salaries of the employees of the three autonomous district councils (ADCs) in Meghalaya, even as GHADC workers are still waiting on nearly three years’ of salary arrears to be paid.
“It is the responsibility of the respective district councils to generate funds for the payment of the salaries of staff,” Rymbui said, adding that the ADCs will receive Rs 45 crore sanctioned by the 15th Finance Commission under the special plan assistance. Rs 20.47 crore has been allocated to the KHADC, Rs 18.20 crore to the GHADC and Rs 6.82 crore to the JHADC.
Last week the government assured desperate GHADC employees that they will receive one month’s salary, that of July 2018, out of the 32 months’ arrears.
Meanwhile, the minister informed that the government has released 50 percent of the funds that were earmarked under the special plan assistance for the current year.
However, these funds are meant for developmental activities that were included in plans and estimates proposed by the ADCs and cannot be diverted to pay salaries.
