Parliamentary Secretaries to drain State exchequer
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, October 16 2012: The recent appointment of five Parliamentary Secretaries would certainly mean extra expenditures which would only aggravate the already sick financial condition of the State.

Talking to The Sangai Express, top officials of certain departments who are taking pivotal roles in the State's development projects said that the State Government would not be able to take up new projects as they are preoccupied in paying liabilities incurred during the previous SPF Government.

During the previous Government when large amounts of funds were sanctioned and released by the Centre for many development projects in Manipur, official meetings were held everyday between top officials of different departments including the Chief Minister at the Chief Minister's Secretariat.

But this time, such meetings have become sporadic.

The incumbent Government is facing difficulties even in paying salaries to its employees.

As for development programmes, it has come to a standstill.

There is little or no maintenance fund in most of the departments.

As sectorial allocation of annual plan amount to different departments is quite frugal, majority of the departments are preparing to submit revised estimates.

But there is no scope for increased allocation of fund despite the greater plan outlay as huge liabilities are still pending.

Under such circumstances, appointment of the five Parliamentary Secretaries would prove to be a huge burden to the State exchequer.

It is questionable if the Parliamentary Secretaries would be of any help in executing projects, said the officials.

It was not long ago Chief Minister O Ibobi appointed five Congress MLAs as Parliamentary Secretaries under the Manipur Parliamentary Secretary (Appointment, Salary, Allowances and Miscellaneous Provision) Act 2012 .

Since the Parliamentary Secretaries have been attached to different departments, no files can bypass them.

Though it is said that Parliamentary Secretaries would assist Cabinet Ministers of departments to which they are attached, their functions and modalities remain very vague, said the officials.

Meanwhile, a highly placed source informed that the Government has no intention to appoint more Parliamentary Secretaries.

Comment