Dimapur:
The Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC), on March 10, alleged that the Nagaland government spends around 65 per cent of the state’s budget to pay salaries to its employees, leaving only 35 per cent for development works.
Public grievance department chairman of NPCC, S Supongmeren Jamir and co-chairman Kedou Watsah, in a statement, pointed out that of the 1,44,177 government employees in the state, 22,970 are “non-working employees”. The party further added that the state has an excess of about 70,000 government employees, which is against the guidelines finance ministry.
The Congress further said as per the finance ministry guidelines, the state salary for employees should not exceed 35 per cent of the total budget.
Suggesting employment of deserving educated youth against those non-working employees, NPCC asked the state government to clarify the stand and actions taken against those non-working employees.
The party stressed that every citizen needs to have a sense of responsibility to ponder over this menace, especially in the field of employment avenues for the upcoming generation. It appealed to all the voters and citizens of the state, especially the youth, to restore the glory of “truth and honour of the Nagas society”.
Raising a series of other questions, it asked if the state government is mulling over generating employment avenues by establishing factories industries and small-scale developments. It also sought to know whether the government has got any vision to streamline to avail financial loans and facilities for youth from the financial institutions under its ‘guardianship’.
The party questioned whether the state government will continue to make excuses of law and order problems, blaming unwanted elements’ extortionist activities without realising who is governing the government.