In a significant policy shift aimed at restoring fiscal discipline within the Autonomous District Councils (ADCs), Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma on Tuesday announced that the state government will release salaries for council employees from November 1 only for those councils willing to accept a simple condition of financial reforms. Further the chief minister assured that the Government will not intervene in the functioning of the councils
“We will talk to the Autonomous District Councils and the councils that are agreeable to work with the Government based on a simple condition and reform for financial reforms only where we are focusing on utilisation of the money that we give for now for the salaries, and different aspects of service rules and financial rules and procurement rules. Based on those conditions yes from 1st of November we intent to work with those councils who are willing to work with us and agree to these basic conditions and we will pay the salaries on November 1st along the salaries of the government employees,” Sangma declared, underscoring the conditional nature of the bailout.
He elaborated that the move stems from the urgent necessity to stabilise the institutional functioning of the councils. “Basically the thought process is very simple that the district councils at different levels, whether it’s Garo Hills, whether it is the Jaintia Hills, or the Khasi Hills District Council are facing different issues and concerns and some of them facing financial problems. And we’ve seen that because of that, the functioning of the councils has been affected at large. And the councils are a very, very important part of our tradition and our institution and it is an institution that has been empowered by the Constitution, and the Parliament itself. And hence, it is important for the state government to support in whatever way possible to ensure that these institutions work in a proper manner and in an efficient manner.”
Outlining the mechanism, Sangma announced that three subcommittees will be constituted to hold consultations with the Khasi, Jaintia, and Garo Hills councils over the next 45 days. “Now, let me make it very clear. This is only an option. This is not something that is mandatory. The desire to work, and to take the support from the government, is totally the discretion of the district councils. It is not something that we are making it mandatory. Hence these subcommittees will now engage with the councils and the councils are at liberty to reject this offer completely. So there is one thing I want to make clear. This is not mandatory but we have seen that there are concerns and some of the councils may be willing to work with us. When I say work with us means for the support that we will give.”
Stressing on the pivotal condition, Sangma said, “All these support that we’re mentioning regarding salaries will come with a very basic condition, a basic reform based incentive and that is financial reforms. So we are concerned about the financial stability of the councils. So we would be asking the councils to have a Principal Secretary of the position of either a senior MCS officer or a senior IAS officer to look into the overall financial administration of the councils to ensure that the money that has been given is utilised specific for salaries and financial reforms like service rules. Service rules are important because employment all these aspects are what leads to the instability of financial instability of councils. So reforms will be required and reforms it as a financial. Be very, very, very clear. We’re talking of purely financial reforms only. So with a service rules, whether it’s financial rules, whether it is procurement policy, these are the areas, which, and obviously, disbursement of the money made for the salaries and ensuring that these employees get the salary, these are the areas, which we would want the Principal Secretary to be there to monitor.”
Issuing an assurance that traditional autonomy would remain untouched, Sangma concluded, “Let me make it very, very clear Government will not intervene in the functioning of the councils. Whether it is to do with land issues, whether it’s to do with traditional rights, whether it’s to do with any kind of powers, there are enshrined in the Constitution, it is the prerogative of the district councils.”
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