Team Herald
VASCO: There appears to be a delay in releasing the monthly salary of the Mormugao Municipal Council (MMC) employees this Diwali on account of the civic body’s inconsistent recovery of the outstanding dues.
However, MMC chairperson Damodar Kaskar expressed optimism on releasing the salaries of the municipal staff immediately after receiving government grants.
With Diwali (The Festival of Lights), fast approaching, the municipal employees have been left high and dry as they are yet to receive their monthly salary. On Tuesday, the MMC chairperson, vice chairperson and chief officer held a joint meeting to decide on the staff salary.
Kaskar said, “As per the arrangements, we have decided to give Diwali bonus to municipal workers. Daily wage workers will receive their payment and the retired municipal workers’ pension will be cleared.”
Admitting the delay in releasing the monthly salary of the municipal staff, Kaskar said, “The municipal workers will be given uniform allowance too on Diwali. The civic body is most likely to get dearness allowance (DA) and salary grant. We will receive some dues and once all these things are in place, the salary of the civic employees will be released immediately.”
When asked for the reasons behind the delay in releasing the salary to the municipal staff, Kaskar said, “Due to some legal aspects the recovery of dues is not taking place in a proper manner, which has caused the delay in releasing the workers’ salaries.”
Councillor Vinod Kinlekar said, “Families of the municipal staff especially their children are eagerly waiting to go shopping and celebrate Diwali. I request the government to release the salary of the municipal staff by Wednesday.”
A retired municipal worker, who visited the municipality for his pension-related work said he met the chairperson and was told that the delay in releasing the pension/salary is due to the insufficient funds on account of the recovery of dues issue.
“I have requested the chairperson to release the salary of the municipal staff before Diwali. At present, the civic body has funds to the tune of Rs 60 lakh. From these funds, the municipal staff will be given Diwali bonus and the daily wage workers will receive their payment, uniform allowance and some bills will also be cleared,” he said.
He said the chairperson told him that pensioners will receive their pension. Once the civic body receives government grants, the salary of the staff will be released immediately.
