PANJIM: While State Cabinet on Thursday granted one month extension of service to 257 contractual workers under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA), it discontinued 214 staffers claiming they were additional burden on the scheme. 

The cabinet also approved creation of 42 new posts under the administrative control of Directorate of Women and Child department. Deputy Chief Minister Francis D’Souza said that the term of 257 MNREGA workers has been extended till December 31. 

The salaries of the employees have also been hiked. 

The extension has been granted to programme officer (12), assistant engineers (16), accountants (21) and gram rojgar sahayaks (225).  

The services of 214 peons cum messengers have been discontinued.    

The primary objective of the scheme is to provide livelihood security to the households in rural areas, by providing not less than 100 days of guaranteed wage employment in very financial year to every household. 

Meanwhile, 42 new clerical and accountant posts, are being created in Women and Child department. “Since department has formulated and implemented number of new schemes for benefit of women and child, the work has increased manifold but the staff strength continued to remain same. Hence, we decided to create new posts,” D’Souza said. 

D’Souza said that of these 42, seven would be diverted to newly formed Dharbandoda taluka, where new sub-office would be set up. 

The remaining 35 would be posted at Panjim office, he said. The government has also created three account officers posts in Directorate of Agriculture for tenure of three years.