Source: The Imphal Free Press
Imphal, November 06:
With the state government running up an overdraft of Rs 31 crores with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) as of yesterday, the Central bank can be expected to re-impose restrictions on encashment of Manipur government cheques and hills within a day or two, leaving in the lurch thousands of state government employees who still have not drawn their salaries.
According to sources in the state finance department, as of yesterday evening, the state's overdraft with the RBI stood at Rs 31.13 crores.
The sources, disclosing that the RBI usually imposed its restriction on state government payments within 12 working days of the state government exceeding its creeding, said re-imposition of the ban can be expected within a day or two.
In the meantime, while a majority of employees have not drawn their two months pending salary on account of the ongoing strike, employees posted in the hill districts have reportedly obtained their salaries, as have police and MR personnel.
Bills for payment of salaries for those working in the Raj Bhavan secretariat, Assembly secretary, and the MPSC have also been passed, state treasury office sources said.
Salaries of employees posted at Manipur Bhavans outside the state have also been drawn.
According to sources, expenditure on salaries and pensions for the ongoing month comes to a total of Rs 65 crores.
An amount of Rs 4 crores has been saved after HRA, TA, SPA, NPA and other allowances of the employees were cut.
Regarding IAS and IPS officers, finance department sources said they were no longer paid special pay allowance, vehicle maintenance allowance, and HRA.
Also as part of the economic measures taken up by the state government, several other perks and privileges have been cut.