Team Herald
PONDA: Several aspiring candidates undergoing apprenticeship training in government departments have raised concerns over not being paid their stipends for the past three months, leaving them disappointed and financially strained. Many trainees are now struggling to cover basic expenses, including transport and food costs.
The issue arose after Chief Minister Pramod Sawant announced that a minimum of one year’s apprenticeship experience would be mandatory for securing government jobs. Following this announcement, numerous fresh graduates recently joined apprenticeship programmes after clearing interviews, with the promise of monthly stipends ranging from Rs 10,000 to Rs 13,000.
However, the non-payment of stipends for three consecutive months has left these trainees in a difficult position. “We are finding it hard to manage our monthly expenses, including transport and food costs,” said one of the affected apprentices.
The worried trainees have appealed to the government to release their pending stipends immediately. “If the payments are delayed further, we will have no choice but to ask for money from our parents, friends or relatives to meet our daily needs,” another trainee shared.