Government employees in Shillong have pressed the state administration for an immediate overhaul of their salary structure, highlighting a wide gap as the Centre advances while the state remains tied to older guidelines. The issue was formally brought to the attention of the state leadership through a dedicated delegation meeting in the capital.
Delegation Meets Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma
The Meghalaya State Government Employees Federation raised their grievances during a meeting with Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Monday. The employee representatives submitted a formal memorandum urging the renewal and implementation of a revised pay scale for all state government personnel, aiming to bridge the growing disparity between central and state compensation packages.
Federation Secretary General Banshari Kharshandi addressed the press following the interaction, explaining the core purpose of the delegation's visit. She noted that while central authorities have systematically updated compensation frameworks for their workforce, Meghalaya has fallen significantly behind in modernizing its pay structure. The federation formally requested the Chief Minister to personally examine the situation and grant timely revisions for local administrative staff.
Missed Revision Cycles and Financial Losses
Kharshandi detailed how local personnel have missed crucial revision timelines over the years, leading to severe financial setbacks. She stated that while the previous state pay revision was enacted in 2017, workers missed out entirely on the scheduled revision cycles for both 2006 and 2016. Because the Central government traditionally updates salaries every 10 years, local staff incurred substantial monetary losses due to the prolonged stagnation.
Furthermore, the federation pointed out a stark regional lag compared to neighboring areas. While several other northeastern states have successfully transitioned to the 7th Pay Commission and are now looking ahead toward the 8th, Meghalaya continues to function under the outdated 5th Pay Commission framework.
Government Response and Outlook
Following the submission of the memorandum, Kharshandi stated that Chief Minister Sangma assured the delegation that the administration would examine their demands. The federation leaders emphasized that it is now up to the state government to treat the matter with the seriousness it deserves and grant due consideration to the long-pending proposals put forward by the workforce.
