Shillong, April 2: The Meghalaya Cabinet has approved a series of key decisions aimed at addressing long-standing administrative concerns and boosting economic competitiveness in the state, Chief Minister Conrad Sangma announced on Thursday.
One of the major decisions pertains to the service conditions of regularised ad hoc employees, particularly in matters of seniority and promotion.
According to the Chief Minister, ad hoc appointments made prior to 2007 had already been regularised, and many employees were subsequently promoted.
However, ambiguity persisted in the pension process, especially for retired employees, over whether benefits should be calculated based on their regularised positions or their promoted posts.
To address this issue, the Cabinet has approved a one-time condonation to recognise promotions carried out in accordance with prescribed rules and procedures.
In another significant decision, the Cabinet has approved the implementation of the Meghalaya Non-Government School and College Employees Centralised Provident Fund Scheme, 2026.
A large number of employees in non-government educational institutions have been contributing to provident funds as mandated under existing laws, but the absence of a structured government mechanism had posed challenges in effective management.
With the scheme now finalised, employees in non-government schools and colleges will be able to access provident fund benefits in a more organised and secure manner once it is implemented.
Additionally, the Cabinet has decided to reduce the VAT rate on methane gas used as Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) from 14.5 per cent to 5 per cent, aligning it with rates in other states.
