JHADC chief placed deficit budget of Rs.30.60 crores for financial year 2023-24

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaMarch 9, 2023

Placing a deficit budget of Rs. 30,60,14,100/- (Rupees Thirty Crore Sixty Lakh Fourteen Thousand One Hundred), Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC) Chief Executive Member Thombor Shiwat on Thursday said the total estimates receipt of the Council for the year 2023-24 is Rs. 174,59,38,400/- (Rupees One Hundred Seventy-Four Crore Fifty-Nine Lakh Thirty-Eight Thousand Four Hundred) only while the total Estimate Expenditures come to a total of Rs. 205,19,52,500 (Rupees Two Hundred Five Crore Nineteen Lakh Fifty-Two Thousand Five Hundred).

In his last budget speech for the current tenure, Shiwat reasoned the increase in salary due to annual increment and Dearness Allowance of all the employees, pensioners and family pensioners of the Council and implementation of the Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council Members Pension Act, 2019 as the two main factors for the deficit budget.

The arrear Revised Pay of the Members, employees and pensioners of the Council which could not be cleared during the current Financial Year has been carried over to the coming Financial Year 2023-24 and granting of menial allowances to Class II Officers of the Council are the another two factors for the deficit, he also said.

Shiwat asserted that through their continuous efforts the Council received Rs. 73,18,11,649/- (Rupees Seventy-Three Crore Eighteen Lakh Eleven Thousand Six Hundred Forty-Nine) only from Major Minerals and Rs.14,65,67,854/- (Rupees Fourteen Crore Sixty-Five Lakh Sixty-Seven Thousand Eight Hundred Fifty-Four) only from Minor Minerals, whereas, Taxes on Motor Vehicle has not been received till date.

He also apprised that from the share of revenue received from the Meghalaya Government along with others revenue receipt of the Council have been utilized for payment of the pending salary of the Members, Employees and Pensioners of our Council for 13 (thirteen) months i.e from May 2021 to May 2022, refund of loan to Civil Works Department and other unavoidable contingency expenditures.

During the year 2022-23 our Council compiled the arrear Annual Account for the year 2019-20 and 2020-21 and submitted to the Accountant General (Audit) Meghalaya, Shillong, the Chief Executive Member said that the remaining Annual Account for the year 2021-2022, which has become due will be submitted by March, 2023.

To escalate the economic status of the people of Jaintia Hills, Shiwat informed that the Executive Committee established two private markets namely law Muchai Mynsngat and law hat, Nonglatem both in Elaka Nartiang.

He further said the Fees from Judiciary has been collected as per the revised rate mentioned in the Court Fees Rules, 2019 duly assented by the Governor while he added that the Additional Office Building of JHADC as we could see is in the verge of completion.

From the Tied and Untied Grant received during the previous year, Shiwat informed that the Council implemented 234 schemes/projects from April 2022 upto January 2023 which include Drinking Well, School Building, Community Halls, Sanitary Public Toilet, Playground, Foothpath, Washing Platform etc. in different localities of the Jaintia Hills Districts.