Shillong, Jan 16: Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma has refuted the Opposition’s allegation of financial mismanagement against the state government and claimed that the state has spent a record Rs 23,496 crore till December in the current financial year.
“Our total expenditure from 2017 has been Rs 10,000 crore, that was actual expenditure, not the budget. This year, till December, we have spent Rs 23,496 crore. In December alone, we have spent close to Rs 2000 crore, which includes two months of salary for employees and bills of different departments,” Sangma said while responding to the recent allegations made by the leader of opposition Mukul Sangma.
The Chief Minister attributed the efficient management of finances to administrative reforms and technological interventions.
“We’ve been going through a lot of administrative reforms, technological interventions, and a lot of work is being done in such a manner that there is not as much stress that comes on us on the 20 of December or on the 28 of March.”
Sangma cited examples of online systems enabling officers to clear proposals and payments remotely, saying, “Even if the officer is in another corner of the world, he doesn’t have to be physically present here for proposals to be cleared. They can do it online, from anywhere.”
He assured that the government is working judiciously to meet its expenditures and has been prudent in its approach. “We have been spending judiciously, and the highest expenditure ever in the state’s history has taken place during this financial year. We are touching almost Rs24,000 crores, till December.”
The Chief Minister also dismissed claims that the government’s decision to close offices on December 19 was due to lack of funds.
“There’s no relation of closing the office on 19 December with funds not being available. Funds are always a challenge, but we have worked towards ensuring that we meet our expenditures in the best possible manner.”
