Imphal, January 12: Even though Government employees were banking on receiving their salaries for the month of December by the 15th of this month, the Government is seriously mulling over the idea of releasing the salaries for December and January by the end of this month.

Speaking to The Sangai Express this evening, Principal Secretary (Finance) V Chhibber said that though the overdraft has come down appreciably and the RBI may lift its ban any day there is always the possibility that it may shoot up if the salaries are paid now.

Taking this into consideration, the Government may pay the salaries for the month of December and January by the end of this month.

Likewise two months pension may be released to pensioners by the month end, he added.

Stating that overdraft has come down appreciably, Chhibber said that presently the overdraft is Rs 91 crores while on January 2 the same had touched Rs 137 crores.

It was then the RBI had re-imposed its ban.

To a query Chhibber said the Government may release the two months salaries by January 29 or 30 and added that the pending salaries would surely be cleared before the Assembly election.

Mention may be made that the RBI re-imposed the ban after salaries and pensions for the months of September, October and November were disbursed.

On being asked how the State Government hopes to over come the overdraft, the Principal Secretary said that as per an MoU between the State and the Centre a sum of Rs 125 crores package would be given to Manipur on January 15.On top of this the Centre will also forward Rs 60 crores monthly as non-plan money, informed Chhibber.

Union MoS for Home ID Swami also agreed to the State Government's proposal to grant Rs 54 crores to write off the overdraft, said Chhibber.

With these Central assistance, the State Government will be able to write off the overdraft and still have some amount to meet the salaries demand of the employees, he said.

However if salaries for the month of December is released within the next few days there is every likelihood that the overdraft may shoot up again and the Government may not be able to pay the salaries of January before the election.

The Government is keen to see that no problems arise during the election due to non payment of salaries, said the official.

This is reason why the Government is working over the idea of releasing salaries for the month of December and January together by the end of this month, he explained.