the goan I network
VASCO
Several retired staff of Mormugao Municipal Council (MMC) on Wednesday met Chief Officer Agnelo Fernandes on Wednesday demanding arrears of 7th Pay commission due to them for the last 18 months.
The retired staff demanded that MMC could pay the amount in parts if the council was short of funds.
MMC Chief Officer Agnelo Fernandes, however, said the MMC was short of funds and added the retired staff may have to wait for some more time till the amount is cleared.
Retired MMC employees alleged that MMC had been only buying time and had assured of clearing the arrears on various occasions in the past, but had failed to do so.
Michael D’souza, who retired as head clerk, said arrears of 7th pay commission of around 18 months had been pending.
“We offered them a proposal where they could clear 50 percent of the amount in this financial year and the remainder 50 percent could be cleared in the next financial year.”
“The chief officer said he would discuss the proposal and then decide, but did not offer any concrete assurances. He also said if MMC did not receive grants, the arrears could not be cleared till the next five years,” said D’Souza.
Another former employee, Suresh Naik, who retired in 2009, said he had visited the MMC many times to request them to clear the arrears.
“The chief officer has only given us false assurances of clearing the arrears. We were informed that the arrears would be cleared before Saptah, later on festivals like Ganesh Chaturthi, Diwali and Dusshera.”
“Some of our pensioners have expired while a few are bedridden and there is no one to take care of them. We are senior citizens and we have no source of income and MMC must clear our arrears immediately instead of driving us out every time,” said Naik.
MMC Chief Officer Agnelo Fernandes agreed that the pending arrears could not be cleared due to paucity of funds.
“The government has implemented the 7th Pay Commission and subsequently, MMC has also adopted the same provisions of 7th Pay Commission and implemented it.”
“Due to paucity of funds, arrears of retired staff have not been disbursed till now. I have been constantly making efforts with the DMA seeking special grants to release this arrears.”
“As of now we are paying their dues and disbursing their pensions regularly every month. I have no funds and we cannot pay their arrears. Efforts are on to rope in revenues like assessment of house tax and other exercises.”
