PANAJI
With several departments still not deducting House Building Advance (HBA) payable to banks from the salary of government employees despite the closure of this scheme from May 15 onwards earlier this year, the Directorate of Accounts has been given the charge to monitor the same.
The departments have been asked to comply with the directions issued to deduct the HBA instalment at the source. An office memorandum issued on September 8 says that the Directorate of Accounts shall monitor and ensure that the HBA payable to banks is being deducted at source from salaries of concerned government employees and paid to banks regularly.
The HBA scheme which was initiated in 1988 has been withdrawn by the state government. In May the undersecretary (finance) through an order has informed all departments that government employees would no longer be eligible for cheap loans.
However, many government employees who have availed loans are unhappy with the government's decision and indirectly try to mount pressure on the government to retrieve the withdrawal decision.
