MARGAO
Margao Municipal officials were left red faced as a group of retired daily wage workers made their presence felt in the corridors of the civic body to claim their provident fund dues.
The six workers, who were scheduled to call on the Chief Officer Siddivinayak Naik, maintained that though they have retired around two years ago, their provident fund dues have not been disbursed to them by the municipal authorities.
In fact, they demanded to know whether they will at all receive their provident fund dues given the inordinate delay by the civic body to settle their claims.
Having done the rounds of the civic body over the last several months, the daily wage workers said the civic body should settle their rightful dues at the earliest.
What’s interesting to note is that the group of retired workers had in the past knocked the doors of Fatorda MLA and TCP Minister Vijai Sardesai. The TCP Minister, who controls the Margao Municipal Council, had assured the retired workers that their claims will be settled without any further delay, but in vain.
MMC Vice-chairperson Tito Cardozo pointed out that the retired workers have a genuine claim to their provident fund, and hoped the Chief Officer will address their issues on topmost priority.
Sources in the MMC questioned the delay on part of the civic body to settle the provident fund claims of the workers given that the Margao municipality has engaged a consultant to handle issues relating to the provident fund of the employees.
“The MMC Chief Officer should immediately designate a civic official to handle the job so that the provident fund claims of the retired workers are settled once and for all,” informed a senior officer.
