Our Correspondent
Kohima, Aug. 12 (EMN): Additional Chief Secretary and Finance Commissioner, Semtiyanger Imchen, on Friday said that salaries of state employees will be released in a few days.
Interacting with journalists on the sidelines of an event, Imchen said the release of salary depends on the resource position though the intention of the government is to disburse it 'ideally' by the first of every month. He added that the state gets the Revenue Deficit Grants sometimes in the first week of the month, while the share of central taxes sometimes comes after date 10.
Maintaining that the outgo on salary, pensions and minor withdrawals- GPF and others roughly comes to approximately INR 750 crore, he said the government needs cash in hand to make the payment for all, but the state government largely depends on its share of central taxes and the revenue deficit for revenue.
He said salaries can be released only when this revenue comes to the government’s account and that ‘the question of imbroglio does not arise’.
On state government’s recent order to hold payment of salaries and wages till further notice, contradicting Finance department’s earlier notice to issue salary by the first day of every month, the Finance commissioner said the person from the Finance department, who issued the notice, could have been explained better as it was ‘cryptic'.
"I am sorry for the misconceptions but it was not meant that way," he said.
In the past, salaries used to be prepared and sent to the Treasuries before being released on 30th of every month but the state is 'facing accounting problems', said Imchen, adding that the expenditures should to be shown on the issuing month but that was not happening.
When asked if the state is facing a financial crunch, he said, “No, not really. The salaries will be released by the 16th (August). We have to understand that our salary releases depend on the balance account that we have with us (state government) and with good intentions releasing salary by first of a month is not possible.”
With regard to loans acquired by the state, he said over and above the resources, the state has also being going for open market borrowing annually that it keeps accumulating and that it continues to repay the debt.
Further, he maintained that the state is not in a bad position compared to other states in the country, citing the financial position of the states presented by the Finance Secretary at a meeting which was attended by the Chief Secretary.