Shillong, Sept 19: In Meghalaya, employees of the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) are facing a severe salary payment crisis. They are set to receive only two months’ worth of salary out of a whopping 31 months’ pending payments.
Reports suggest that these two months’ salaries will be disbursed within the upcoming week, offering some relief to the hundreds of GHADC employees in Meghalaya.
The grim financial situation of the GHADC has led to a difficult decision: to withhold the payment of a massive backlog of 31 months’ worth of salaries. GHADC authorities conveyed to the employees that the council simply lacks the necessary funds to clear such an extensive backlog.
Albinush Marak, the Chief Executive Member (CEM) of GHADC in Meghalaya, candidly admitted, “Right now, the district council does not have that kind of money to even clear 5 months of pending salaries.” He emphasized the financial constraints faced by the council, saying, “We don’t know when funds will be given to us to clear the backlog, which, in itself, is a massive 31 months. I would be lying to you if I said we will pay 5 months when we cannot.”
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This situation arose after representatives from the Non-Gazetted Employees Association (NGEA) held discussions with GHADC authorities. To address the mounting concerns of employees, Albinush Marak assured them that checks would be disbursed within the next few days to cover two months of pending dues.
However, the NGEA had previously issued a stern ultimatum, threatening to initiate a strike if the GHADC employees’ pending salaries were not paid by September 15. Such a strike could potentially paralyze the operations of the GHADC in Meghalaya.
Earlier, CEM Albinush Marak had given his word to the NGEA that the pending salaries would be released by the end of September. Nevertheless, the severe financial constraints currently facing the GHADC have made it impossible to meet this commitment fully. The situation highlights the financial woes confronting both the GHADC and its dedicated employees in Meghalaya.
