Sikkim govt to pay salaries through cheques or electronically

The Sikkim government has issued a notice asking all its departments to pay salaries and other allowances to employees through cheques or electronically through banks.

The notice issued by the state finance department on November 21 states that the drawing and disbursing officers of the departments concerned shall submit salaries and wage bills of the employees, along with their bank account details, to the treasury department for undertaking the e-transfer.

The treasury would issue cheques to the beneficiaries.

All government departments have been asked to complete the funds transfer process before December 1.

The same process would be followed while paying travel and medical allowances, fuel expenses, provident funds and other claims.

There are more than 30 government departments with over 60,000 employees, including casual workers.

The State Bank of Sikkim would make the required arrangements with the other banks for clearing the payments.

A finance department official said government pensions would be disbursed through account payee cheques.

"Around 200 people take pensions through bearer cheques. We will ask them to open bank accounts," he said.

There are 11,000 government pension holders in the state.

The controller of accounts in the finance department, Gopal Basnet, said: "Now it is compulsory to have an account."

According to a government official, around Rs 1,800 crore is needed annually to pay the employees.(TT)