Morung Express News
Dimapur | March 15
Salaries pending for months at a stretch, particularly of employees under the various national education and medical programmes frequently hit the news. And more than often the salaries are released only after the affected employees resort to various forms of protest.
While it has been the norm for contractual and ad-hoc employees, regular employees are also getting the brunt of the Nagaland government’s financial woes. District Hospital, Dimapur is one such case.
According to employees, salaries for the entire hospital establishment have been pending for two months now. Employees said that salaries for the month of January and February have not been released for “unexplained reasons.”
One of the employees, who requested anonymity, said that the delay is taking its toll in the form of lapsing life insurance policies, interest compounding on service loans and many unable to meet their children’s school expenses. “60-70 percent of the State’s Budget is said to go towards employees’ remuneration. Still salaries get delayed,” the affected employee said.
An official of the District Hospital, when asked on the delay, could not provide an explanation; however informed that the salary component for January and February was released only on March 15.
Dr Imkongliba Memorial Hospital, Mokokchung is also set to face a similar situation with salary for the month of February delayed. A medical official from Mokokchung said that salary component has been released and awaiting disbursal.
Employees of the Education department in Zunheboto district have also been going through a phase of delayed monthly salaries. According to one employee, salaries for January was released only at the end of February, while for February it was released only at the end of March 2nd week.
The employee made an interesting observation stating that taxi traffic plying to Zunheboto and its interior from major towns thin out during the beginning of the month. “It only shows how dependent the state’s economy is on government salaries.”
