PANAJI
Goa Forward has decided to challenge the government decision of revoking the Housing Building Advance (HBA) scheme and has appealed around 1,500 government servants who have availed loans not to surrender before government pressure.
"The ordinance has been issued by the government just to deter people from challenging the order in Goa. We (Goa Forward) are going to challenge the ordinance in court," said GF general secretary Mohandas Lolienkar.
Lolienkar appealed to these government servants to not sign any documents with the banks.
The Goa Forward Party members on Tuesday met Bank of India officials and demanded that the bank not to withdraw the guarantee given by the government towards loans through the HBA scheme.
Goa Forward General Secretary Prashant Naik while speaking to the media informed that around 1,500 government officials who have availed loans through the HBA scheme are overburdened due to the sudden closure of the scheme.
Due to the closure of the scheme the government is saving just 1.25 crore which is not a big amount. Without making it as an ego issue CM should take back his decision about closing the scheme, said Naik.
He demanded that the government should take a lenient approach towards the employees who have availed a loan and discuss with them the solution.
Party Vice President Durgadas Kamat said that lower officers as well high-rank officers have availed the loan on 2 per cent through the HBA scheme and with the closure of the scheme these employees have to pay an additional amount to the government as their salaries are getting exhausted with loan instalment.
