The Centre on Sunday promised to help Assam overcome its financial constraints while the state said it was trying its best to release this month’s salary to government employees.

State finance minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman called him up on Sunday morning with the message to help the state.

“Union FM Smt@nsitharaman called to reassure that Central government is resolute in its commitment to lend all possible assistance to state in overcoming the fiscal situation arising due to #COVID,” Sarma tweeted on Sunday.

The development came amid the state government’s concern at releasing the salaries of its employees for the month of April. It released the salary of the month of March before Rongali Bihu.

The Assam government needs nearly Rs 2,250 crore a month to pay the salaries of its 4.5 lakh employees. It usually releases a month’s salary on the seventh day of the following month.The government’s concern was palpable when Sarma on Saturday told the media that the government was yet to take a call on paying salaries next month. He said a clear picture would emerge on possibility of paying salaries only after April 25.

Two hours after his twitter message on Sitharaman’s assurance, Sarma on Sunday again tweeted that the government has no funds in its coffer. “Trying our best to release salary for May, basic needs of poor and medicines in hospital. We need to prepare for tough days ahead at least for few months,” he tweeted.

Sources in Dispur said to tide over the financial crisis the government may go for salary cut between 10 per cent to a maximum of 20 per cent from either April or May depending on employee grade.

To make up the tight financial condition Assam government recently opened the wine shops, a major source of its income. The decision led to a conflict of opinion in Dispur and the decision was withdrawn following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement on extension of the lockdown.

Chief adviser of the Sadou Asom Karmachari Parishad, Basab Kalita told the media that they have no problem if the state government cuts one per cent of salary for a single month. He added that employees would face problems if the government continues to cut salaries for more than a month. Kalita even hinted about the necessity of a discussion with the Assam government regarding the issue.

State government employees had already contributed one day’s salary from the month of March. According to the Asom Rajyik Prathamik Sikshak Sanmiloni, a primary teachers’ organisation, the Assam government has received Rs 10.27 crore only from the primary teachers’ one-day salary.