Shillong: The Meghalaya government has approved the release of an advance share of royalties to the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) to clear a year-long backlog of salaries for its employees.
Officials said the funds will be placed in an escrow account under the supervision of an IAS officer to ensure transparency and proper utilisation.
The measure is aimed at resolving the prolonged financial delays that have affected GHADC staff.
In a related move, the Deputy Commissioner of Tura has been assigned additional charge as Principal Secretary of the GHADC.
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The government’s intervention is being seen as a crucial step toward addressing the financial challenges of the council and providing long-awaited relief to its workforce.
The GHADC has been grappling with a significant salary backlog, with employees awaiting payment for up to 44 months.
This prolonged delay has led to widespread unrest among the staff and has severely impacted the functioning of the council.
