Will ADCs lose autonomy? JNC questions state move
Case of pending salary: Council provides suggestions for ADCs to attain financial stability
Shillong, Sept 1: The Jaiñtia National Council (JNC) has opposed the state government’s move to fund the salaries of the employees of the three autonomous district councils.
In a statement on Monday, JNC raised questions on the legality of the move saying, “… the Sixth Schedule does not seem to contain any provision that permits the government to pay council employees’ salaries.”
JNC also wondered whether the councils would retain their autonomy if the government paid the salaries. It also questioned whether the amount that the government would pay towards salaries would be deducted from the ADCs’ revenue generated from sources like minerals, transport and forestry.
“Most importantly, where will the state government source the funds to cover the salaries of all three autonomous district councils?” it concluded.
JNC laid down three suggestions to achieve financial stability for the autonomous district councils. The council believes that the following actions are essential:
- The ADCs should work on enhancing their financial resources to prevent future crises in financial management.
- The ADCs should limit their appointments to what they can financially sustain.
- The state government must provide a comprehensive and transparent account of the revenue generated from minerals, transport, and forestry. It should be explicitly stated how much revenue belongs to the ADCs and how much to the state, ensuring that the ADCs receive their share promptly.
