Morung Express News
Dimapur| February 18
Even as politicians flaunt their money and assets in the election, government employees in Nagaland are reeling under severe financial crunch. Employees in some four odd government departments in Nagaland have not been paid their salaries for the month of January, it has emerged. With the month of February also coming to an end, these government employees have been left high and dry without their regular income for over a month and a half.
Some employees who haven’t received their salaries told The Morung Express that they were informed by bank officials that there is no money left to pay their salaries. “We went to the bank to find out why our salaries have not been remitted into our account. There we were told by the bank official that there is no money left to pay our salary,” one person said. These employees who depend solely on their monthly salary to run their household are with agitated about the condition. Some of them have been running their household with borrowed money.
“I had borrowed money in January for my daughter’s school admission which I was supposed to repay this month. But I still haven’t received my salary,” an employee with the Department of Education said. An officer from another department who travels from 4th Mile everyday to office said he is running out of money to buy fuel for his car. “Politicians are withdrawing crores of rupees from banks everyday for the election and here we are, not getting paid even a few thousands,” he said.
Employees serving in the interior districts are facing greater hardship as the cost of living is higher in those places. “The government should not forget that we are not provided quarters. We have to pay rent, buy water and pay our bills,” an unpaid government employee posted in Mon said.
What is worrying the employees even more is that all public sector banks are going on strike from February 20. It may be mentioned that salaries of all State government employees are remitted directly into their bank account. “There are just nine days left for this month to end, out of which there are 2 days of bank strike, one non-working Saturday (i.e. February 23 voting day) and a Sunday in between. We are sure we won’t get our salary this month,” the employees pointed out. They further added that this is not the first time they are experiencing the problem; only this time they are worried, and confused, as to whether it is the banks that don’t have money or the State exchequer.
.jpeg)
