State coffers empty — Rajasthan CM

He said the Government was not at all in a position to accede to give bonus and enhanced DA at present circumstances as its financial position was critical.

“We are borrowing money from different sources to pay the Government employees’ salary and how could we give bonus and enhanced DA at this juncture,” Gehlot claimed.

He said 95 per cent of our financial resources was spent in paying salaries, instalment and interest of the loan with mere five per cent left for State’s development.

The employees should understand the financial difficulties the Government faced, Gehlot said, adding the employees should also understand that the strike at this juncture, when theState has already huge financial liabilities of Rs. 23,000 crore, has no justification. He urged the employees to lend their support to the Government in its effort to pull out the State from the financial crisis for all time to come. The Government was not averse to consider the demands of the employees but was restrained due to lack of funds, the Chief Minister said. He cautioned the union leaders about the public outcry against their strike and asked them to pay heed to it and call off the strike.

Gehlot said the Government was prepared to hold dialogue with employees and also show them the accounts of the State’s financial position. Barring four states in the country, no other states have paid enhanced DA, he added. Chiding his detractors for alleging that he has no grip over the State’s administration, Gehlot said, “His humility and politeness should not be mis-interpreted".

Gehlot refuted the allegations that funds meant for employees were diverted for building Rajiv pathshalas. He said theGovernment has transferred Rs. 125 crore from the personal deposit account to construct 8,000 school buildings.

This fund was allocated by the 10th Finance Commission for panchayat raj development which would have lost if not utilised, he added. Meanwhile, wives of striking leaders on Tuesday took to the streets demanding intervention of the Rajasthan Governor to resolve the impasse between the employees and the government over the former’s indefinite strike on a five-point charter of demands, including payment of bonus and dearness allowance due since July last year.

Before submitting a memorandum to Governor Justice (retd) Anshuman Singh and Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, the convener of the wives’ organisation Shakuntala Sharma told a press conference that they wanted their demands to be met and the safe release of the leaders who were in jail.