Shillong, Dec 14: Government has released Rs 45 crores to three district councils in the State, however, district council affairs Minister Lakhmen Rymbui said it is not for the salary but the amount is meant for development work.

Rymbui said, “This is released from the central special assistance grants to the three autonomous district councils (ADCs) in the state.”

Of Rs 45 crore, he said the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) will get Rs 20.47 crore, Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) – Rs 18.20 crore and Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC) – Rs 6.82 crore.

As the issues of pending salaries rocks GHADC, he said the Government of Meghalaya is not mandated to pay the salary.

Reeling under the severe Financial Crisis, the employees of the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council under the banner of its Non-Gazetted Employees Association, while demanding a minimum of three months dues, have decided to reject the one month salary payout move of the authorities.

While rejecting the Olive branch from the authorities, the employees demanded that the payment should be made under the newly revised salary structure.
It may be mentioned that it is decided that the employees will be paid one month salary and that too under the pre-revised structure and not the latest financial package they have been demanding.

A meeting held at the council premises on Monday discussed the recent decision of the government to release the dues for the month of July 2018 under the old pay scale.

Apart from this, the employees have sought the removal of Meghalaya Civil Service officer Rikse R Marak, a government-appointed Secretary to the council and responsible for overseeing the functioning of the autonomous body for the past several months. The association has given two days time to the government to replace her.

For around 32 months, several hundred workers of the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council are not receiving their monthly dues.