Mizoram’s 3 autonomous councils face Rs 159.59-crore salary shortfall, seek govt intervention

Mizoram’s three Autonomous District Councils (ADCs) are facing a combined salary shortfall of Rs 159.59 crore, with their leaders seeking state government intervention to address the financial crisis.

The Chief Executive Members (CEMs) of the Mara, Lai and Chakma ADCs said the councils were struggling to meet rising salary liabilities amid limited allocations for non-salary expenditure and development activities.

Mara ADC CEM M Laikaw said the salary deficit stood at Rs 25.88 crore in the Mara council, Rs 69.93 crore in the Lai ADC and Rs 63.78 crore in the Chakma ADC.

More than 90 per cent of the councils’ budgets are now being spent on salaries, leaving limited funds for development and other essential expenditure, Laikaw said.

The three CEMs attributed the growing financial pressure to successive pay revisions, dearness allowance, annual increments, promotions and regularisation of employees, while non-salary allocations have remained largely stagnant.

They said the state government provided separate funds for salary and non-salary expenditure until 2023-24. From 2024-25, however, funding has been provided under the Grant-in-Aid (General) head.

The ADC leaders alleged that during the first State Finance Commission period, additional salary requirements were generally met through Revised Estimates (RE), but such additional funding was provided only in 2022-23 during the second commission period, which covered 2021-22 to 2025-26.

They said the funding constraints had affected employees as well as churches and the general public in the ADC areas.

Laikaw claimed that the three ADC areas account for around 16 per cent of Mizoram’s population, according to the 2011 Census, but receive only around 4 per cent of the state’s funds.

The council leaders also raised concerns over the implementation of powers and functions entrusted to the ADCs.

They said 20 departments were entrusted to the three councils in 1993, but the corresponding development works and schemes had not been fully transferred to them.

Departments including Agriculture, Veterinary, PWD and Fisheries have been entrusted to the ADCs, but the state government continues to implement departmental functions and development schemes in their areas, they alleged.

The leaders said a Gupta Commission constituted by the state government had recommended in 2011 that the departments entrusted to the ADCs, along with their development works and schemes, be fully transferred to the councils. They claimed the recommendation has not yet been implemented.

Laikaw said the ADC leaders had submitted representations to Governor Vijay Kumar Singh and Chief Minister Lalduhoma, seeking immediate intervention to address the financial crisis and ensure the councils’ constitutional powers and entitlements.

He also sought release of additional funds through Revised Estimates to meet the councils’ salary liabilities.