Arunachal to pay puja bonus to labourers

Itanagar, Sept 11 (UNI) The Arunachal Pradesh government has decided to clear the pending bonus for 2005-06 this month as puja bonanza for the labourers in the state, official sources said here today.

This was announced by state Finance Minister Kalikho Pul at a function here yesterday.

He turned down other demands of the labour force citing the current financial position of the resource-constrained state. The Minister appealed to them to refrain from agitational programmes to press their grievances, which he said, could be amicably settled.

''The zero resource state having 66 departments could not go for change for one particular department keeping other departments aside as it would cause huge financial burden on the state government, '' Mr Pul pointed out.

Since attainment of statehood, the government departments' servicing liabilities with the Central government had been mounted to more than Rs 1700 crore, he said adding 79 per cent of state fund was utilised for monthly payment, TA and DA, while the rest 21 per cent was used for development of infrastructure.

'' The plan size of the state has been decreased with the Supreme Court's ban on timber operation, the main source of income of the state, but now with no other source, the dismal position of finance is an albatross in the neck, '' he added.

UNI UPB SJC SP KP13235