STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: Employees of the Assam State Agricultural Marketing Board (ASAMB) have not received their salary for the last seven months. Around 800 employees of the Board are facing financial hardships and have been demanding release of their pending salary.
When contacted, an official of ASAMB admitted that for the last three years, employees were not getting their salary regularly. “Three years ago, the Assam Government curtailed the powers of the Board. The Board functions under the State Agriculture Department. Earlier, the Board generated its own revenue and used this revenue to pay the salary of the employees. Cess collection was the main source of revenue of the Board. But the government has now stopped the Board from cess collection. So this has affected the revenue generation of the Board.”
The official further said, “The Board now depends on grants-in-aid from the State Government for paying the salary of the employees. In the 2023-24 State Budget, Rs 40 crore has been earmarked for ASAMB. When this money is released, we will be able to pay the pending salaries of the employees. It will take around one month for the money to be released. However, the Board has some funds and it has been decided that these funds will be released to provide some financial relief to the employees so that they can happily celebrate Rongali Bihu.”
The official said that the Board has too many employees and the government has decided to give voluntary retirement to 50% employees while the remaining 50% will be re-deployed in various posts of the State Agriculture Department as per their qualificiation. “Around 440 employees will be given voluntary retirement. Once the Board is trimmed, the salary problem is likely to be solved,” he said.
He further said that the ASAMB is involved in paddy procurement and sale of urea and fertilizers. It will also buy millets and mustard, besides regulating the market committees, such as the fruit and vegetable wholesale market at Pamohi.
Also Watch: