KHADC chief tables Rs 201.59 crore budget

By Our Reporter

SHILLONG, JUNE 20: The Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) tabled the full budget allocation of Rs 201.59 crore for the year 2017-18 on the first day of the Council’s summer session which got underway here on Tuesday.

The proposed budget estimate which has a deficit of Rs 40,130, was presented in view of the interim vote on account budget for 3 months passed earlier on February this year, will expired by the end of June.

In his budget address, KHADC chief PN Syiem said, “There is a deficit in the budget estimate since the proposed expenditure at Rs 201,59,30,220 is higher than the council’s revenue receipts which is at Rs201,58,90,090.”

He however assured the house that the executive committee will try its best to find out ways and means to improve the revenue generation of the district council.

Syiem also informed that the Council is also expecting to get shares on major minerals at Rs 36.42 crore for the year 2017-2018 from the state government.

“The state government has so far released over Rs 19.50 crore to the Council during the current financial year, and the pending arrear was over Rs 16.91 crore,” he said.

On the shares with regards to Motor Vehicle, he said that the state government has released the sanction for the year 2016-17 adding this time the shares received by the Council is more with the release of pending shares till 2014-15.

In line with the state government’s proposal to implement the fifth pay commission in the state, Syiem said that the Council has already earmarked similar provision in the budget for implementing pay revision for its employees.

He however assured that the pay revision for the employees of the Council will only be implemented as and when the recommendation of the fifth pay commission of the state government is put into force.

The chief executive member informed that the executive committee has earmarked a provision in the budget for providing pension to all former members of the council with effect from July this year along with arrears.

He also hoped that the state government would release the remaining shares on major minerals due to be received by the council to be able to pay the arrears.

Apart from this, Syiem said the executive committee has also created the Conservation & Promotion of Traditional Culture under the Arts and Culture department and promotion of sports activities under the Youth Affairs Dept.

The KHADC also created the Special Town & Rural Welfare Programme under the General Administration Department with an aim to help to poor families, he added.