Team Herald
PANJIM: Days after the State government issued an order asking the bank to stop sanctioning files under HRA to government employees, the Bank of India has sought permission to disburse loan amount worth Rs 25 crore.
The government through Under Secretary, Finance (Budget – III) said Maya Pednekar had written to the Bank of India Chief Manager on stopping the government guarantee towards house building advance.
“I am directed to inform you that the government is in process of finalising/analysing the existing house building advance scheme. You are therefore requested not to sanction any further HRA until further order,” the under secretary wrote.
However now, the BoI has written to additional secretary, Finance Department, asking to allow it to permit to disburse amount to 29 employees.
“With reference to your above order we wish to inform you that between 07/02/2020 to 29/02/2020 we have received 29 HRA files duly sanctioned by various government departments for disbursements,” Sulabha Rathod, Zonal Manager, BoI wrote.
He says, “These government employees, whose HRA is sanctioned by various departments, have already executed agreement for sale by paying the margin amounts for purchase of flats. These government employees are already hard pressed for payment to builders, we now need to pay the balance amount to the builders urgently.”
The manager further writes that sudden closure of disbursement of sanctioned amount by government departments will have negative impact and the government employees will face hardships.
“In view of the above we request you to permit us to disburse Rs 25 crore which is the balance guarantee amount available with us due to repayment in the HRA loan accounts,” the letter reads.
The government employees are given HRA advance at two per cent per annum.
