The problems in the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) that have led to non-payment of staff salaries for extended periods have been there for years, even before the National People’s Party (NPP) came to power at the state-level, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma claimed today.
“In fact, if you look at the records, in the time since the NPP took over we have been able to clear more salaries compared to the situation before we took over,” Sangma said.
The Chief Minister said that the current government is trying its best to ensure that the salaries are cleared on time; just before Christmas two months’ salaries were paid, though there still remains a backlog of over 30 months.
On the allegations of corruption in the GHADC, he said that the government has sanctioned a probe by the Director of the Local Fund Audit (DLFA) into the alleged misuse of central government funds.
“We will see after the reports come out and based on that we will decide on how to move forward,” Sangma stated.
Meanwhile, the NPP national President expressed his confidence that the party will form the next executive committee in the council.
When asked why the partners in the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government at the state-level are fighting the GHADC polls, which are scheduled for April 9, separately, Sangma said that every party is an individual entity and has its own identity.
“There is nothing surprising and nothing wrong in this. It is good in democracy that this happens,” the CM said.
