PANJIM: The Goa Human Rights Commission (GHRC) has provided relief to a Group ‘C’ retired worker by directing the Town and Country Planning (TCP) Department not to recover Rs 2.58 lakh, paid in excess before he retired in April 2021.
The complainant Suryakant Kavlekar of Taleigao had approached the Commission for non-release of his pension after he retired from government service on superannuation on April 30, 2021 and as his pension case was not settled till August 25, 2021. The Town and Country Planning (TCP) Department stated that the question of releasing the excess amount paid to the complainant came to the notice of the Chief Town Planner, who issued a letter to the Directorate of Accounts on October 12, 2022, for recovery of Rs 2,53,789 from the gratuity of the complainant. However, the Directorate of Accounts stated that since the matter is sub-judice before the Commission, decision of the recovery pending in the present case may be taken accordingly.
After going through the replies and based on the judgments of the Supreme Court which has been accepted by the State, the two-member Commission comprising acting Chairman Judge Desmond D’Costa and Member Judge Pramod Kamat held that the recovery from the employees belonging to Group ‘C’ and ‘D’ are impermissible. So also, the recovery is impermissible from the retired employees or from the employees who are due to retire within one-year, of the order of the recovery.
After the employee’s retirement, the respondents cannot recover the so-called excess amount Rs 2,58,789 paid to him many years back, it said.
