Imphal, April 22 2010: Once again, Chief Minister Okram Ibobi has categorically ruled out any possibility of paying arrears together with the pay structures recommended by the 6th Central Pay Commission.

On the other hand, the agitating employees have threatened to intensify their stir until their demands are met.

Addressing a press meet in the conference hall of the Chief Minister's Secretariat this afternoon, Ibobi said that comparative positions of the State's non-plan resources and expenditures were studied together with senior officials of the Finance Department today.

Stating that Rs 2671.30 crores is available for 201-0-11 under non-plan sector, Ibobi disclosed that GPF of Rs 42 crores belonging to the State Government employees have been added to this amount thinking that the State Government can use the GPF amount for one/two year(s) .

However, the State Government has been spending Rs 3507.41 crores against Rs 2671.30 crores available for 2010-11 under non-plan sector in payment of pre-revised and revised (existing posts ) salaries for Police, Education, Health, revised salaries for District Councils, Police-VDF, PolicePOL, Power purchase, OE/TE etc, interest payment, loan repayment, pension (both revised and existing), and grants to PRI/ULB/ADC.

This means there is a deficit of Rs 836.11 crores in non-plan expenditure during the current fiscal.

This further implies that an amount of Rs 292.28 crores would be spent as against Rs 222.61 crores received during a month under non-plan sector, incurring a deficit of Rs 69.68 crores.

The Government is estimating that the deficit amount can be recovered if the Power Department can collect around Rs 160 crores as power tax, the Chief Minister announced.

In case, the Power Department cannot collect the amount, the deficit will only deepen.

As it would be impossible to recover the deficit amount unless some components of non-plan expenditure are included in the plan sector, the State Government is mulling to categorise some components of non-plan sector under plan sector.

Stating that Government employees are direct administrators of the State, the Chief Minister clarified that the Government has no intention to withhold arrears if there is money.

Noting that there would be certainly many knowledgeable people about finance among the JAC members, the Chief Minister proposed a joint sitting to remove all misunderstandings.

Referring to the JAC contention that the State Government has money to pay arrears, Ibobi contended that the arrears would be given if the JAC can prove its assertion.

Nevertheless, he appealed to the employees to examine the issue more minutely.

Talks between the JAC and the Ministerial team, constituted specifically to negotiate with the employees, have been already initiated.

"Once the negotiation arrives at a stage where an agreement can be perceived, I would join the negotiaton as a Chief Minister", Ibobi stated.

The principle of dies non has been already applied to some employees.

Necessary actions will initiated against all defaulting employees according to law, Ibobi warned.

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