Gangtok: Amidst mounting criticism regarding the payment of salaries to approximately 29,558 new and recently regularized government employees, Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Golay has issued a bold challenge, declaring, “If the SKM government fails to pay the salaries of new and regularized government employees, then the people can shoot me in public.”
Golay, also the President of the Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) party, made this assertion while addressing a party event in Dentam, West Sikkim, on Wednesday. He responded to criticism over the large-scale government recruitment drive since February, highlighting the budget allocation during the recent Legislative Assembly session.
“In the recent budget session, a vote on account was passed for three months, allocating a budget of Rs 1970.73 crore, with Rs. 50 crores specifically sanctioned for the Department of Personnel responsible for new job orders. Additionally, Rs 25 crore has been allocated for every department,” stated Golay. “Salary is our responsibility as a government, and all employees will receive their salaries on time, as has been the case for the past 5 years.”
Describing the appointment and regularization of government employees as an achievement, Golay emphasized, “We have done the impossible with over 29,000 regularization and job orders. The opposition questions us on how we will pay the salaries of so many new employees, but we have opened up the state budget to provide services for the people, including the salaries of government employees.”
Former sports department secretary Raju Basnet and former rural development secretary Tshewang Gyatso Bhutia also joined the SKM party during the event. Basnet highlighted the newfound freedom for government employees under the SKM government and urged them to support the party’s agenda for development.
Looking ahead to the 2024 elections, Golay assured the public that SKM’s focus will be on development, in contrast to the party’s call for change in 2019. He urged party cadres to concentrate on ensuring SKM forms the government and outlined plans for candidate selection.
“The focus of every party cadre must be on ensuring that SKM forms the government. We will select the best candidates who will serve the people, and their approval will be based on the choices of the people,” Golay affirmed.
He concluded by urging party cadres to prioritize reaching out to people and pledged to work for the welfare of the state if re-elected in 2024.
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