For more than six months since the start of the financial year 2012-13, the state government has been withholding payments to various government bills and many employees have not been getting their monthly salaries as the state coffers were empty due to overdraft. The funny thing here is that although the state coffers were empty, there was money running into crores of rupees on paper. It was in fact funds which could not be utilised in the last financial year 2011-12 and which was deposited to the 8449 suspense account before the end of March this year. These funds are mostly of the engineering departments. Now that the overdraft has been wiped out due to accumulated savings and fresh inputs from central schemes, a sum more than 400 crores of rupees is in the state exchequer. All eyes are on the state Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh who also holds the crucial Finance portfolio. Whatever be the reasons, the Chief Minister had to cancel his planned trip to Australia and has come back to Imphal. Of course, there is the new Tehelka expose on Loktak Lake and the newly emerged financial position. And it seems, the Chief Minister is in a hurry this time which is not right. The state government has to be very careful this time in making disbursements. The important thing is not to fall into the overdraft trap again. For the last six months, the state has been functioning on a negative balance. So, a well thought out list of priorities has to be chalked out before making disbursements. Tragedy is that, the Chief Minister and the government has a different set of priorities which is not necessarily linked to the interests of the state and its people. Their set of priorities is mostly linked with enrichment of the rich and powerful. When the time for release of funds and payment comes, they do not look beyond the so called developmental works included in the earmarked Special Plan Assistance (SPA) or those funded under the Special Development Fund (SDF). Besides the powers attributed to him as a Finance Minister, the Chief Minister has a major chunk of funds carved out of the Plan fund called SDF which he disburses at will. The logic or basis of this fund needs a review in the interests of holistic development of the state and the people. We have seen the Chief Minister taking into confidence the Cabinet in the flimsiest of matters or even matters which is within the prerogative of the Chief Minister like the recent appointment of the Advocate General of the state. In fact, cabinet meetings had become so frequent during Okram Ibobi’s time that it has become a joke among the political circles. There are even reports of ministers complaining on the frequency and on matters put up for consideration of the cabinet. It seems Okram Ibobi wants to rope in everyone while taking controversial decisions or as and when it suits his interests. Having said this, we want to impress upon the Chief Minister who is also the Finance Minister that the state Cabinet needs to be taken into confidence while setting priorities with regard to disbursement of funds. With regard to state expenditure, we must also take into consideration as to how long the state is going to feed the 80,000 odd employees of the state including the burgeoning population in the state police force. In the name of counter-insurgency, the state continues to establish new battalions with the establishment grant from the Centre while the salaries and other expenses are borne by the state government. Once again, the time has come for either downsizing or for that matter rightsizing the number of government employees.
