Arunachal Pradesh to enforce austerity drive

ITANAGAR: Arunachal Pradesh Finance Minister Chowna Mein today said that the state government has decided to enforce austerity measures in the state to maintain strict financial discipline.

Responding to a question raised in the assembly by Trinamool Congress member Laeta Umbrey on the "financial crisis" being faced by the government, Mein said that instead of "financial crisis", the state government was facing financial constraints.

On the various austerity measures taken by the government after due approval of the cabinet, Mein said that the state government had imposed a ban on creation and filling up of non-plan posts besides ban on employment of casual and contingency employees by any government department.

"A general ban on purchase of new vehicles is imposed and no department will be allowed to enter any extra financial commitment beyond the sanctioned budget," he said and added that no LOC (letter of credit) system of drawing wages would be entertained and wages would be draw through treasuries.

The state government has also banned foreign tour on official account to government functionaries, he added.