Residents of many villages, who had undertaken constructions since 2009 have now started receiving notices from the panchayat secretaries asking them to pay 1 per cent of the construction cost as labour cess under provisions of the Government of Goa, Department of Labour ordering December 2008. The collected amount is to be remitted to the Goa Building and other Construction Workers Welfare Board. The notices have sought the payment with 15 days, leaving the villagers nonplussed.
The question that arises is why are panchayats suddenly collecting backdated fees? The fault actually lies with the panchayats and not with the citizens, in seeking fees going back to 12 years. Panchayats have been alerted to their error of not collecting the fees after a circular from the block development officer seeking the deposit of the labour cess. Having failed to collect the cess at the time of issuing the licence or even anytime after that, which is as per the provisions of the law, panchayats have now sent notices to all those who have undertaken constructions in their jurisdiction since 2009 seeking that the payment be made.
While the fault lies with the panchayats, shouldn’t the block development officers and their superiors also be held equally responsible for the delay or at least accept some remission on their part? There should be a system within the department that alerts officials when those down the line have faltered in some matter. Waiting 12 years to issue a circular to collect backdated fees is an example of inefficiency from the top level to the bottom rung.
Inefficiency in government departments has acquired almost legendary proportions. There will be only a miniscule number of citizens in the State who may vouch or having been served quickly and efficiently in any government department or by any government servant. This attitude of not serving with efficiency will continue until there is a complete change in the system. It has to start from the top if there has to be a positive change in administration. If the wheels of governance are to move smoothly, it is only a government workforce that is productive which can make it happen.
On the other hand, an army of government servants that is unwieldy will only delay the decision-making process and create hurdles for the political branch. Getting the enormous workforce to be productive is a challenge that the government – any government for that matter – has to take up. The chief minister has in the past warned of action against workers, but this has only been statements made and the action has been missing. It will, therefore, not change anything in the system.
This calls for complete reforms in the selection and promotion process in government service. Government jobs today are actively sought as the salary structure is better than the private sector and the five-day working week with ample holidays are big bonus. Yet, while salary increments and promotional growth in the private sector depends entirely on performance of the staff, in government sector it depends on years of service. This policy has to change if not there will be no improvement in performance of the staff. Currently, the government is in the process of recruiting 10,000 employees. The new entrants have to be made aware from their first day on the job that efficiency will be the key for all promotions.
