PANJIM: While announcing that he would initiate severe action against government employees who remain absent during work hours, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on Thursday assured the State Legislative Assembly that he would consider implementing pay scale parity and allowance to the government employees as recommended by the Central Pay Commission and based on the financial liabilities the State can bear.
Parrikar also appealed to the Goa Government Employees Association to withdraw their strike call or warned that severe penal and disciplinary action would be initiated against them. The government liabilities on all government and government-aided employees, including pensioners, were around Rs 165 crore per month. Replying to the calling attention motion moved by BJP legislator Pramod Sawant, Parrikar expressed displeasure over the working of government employees stating that “in spite of taking adequate care about their welfare as well as lenient attitude towards employees, people of the State do not get commensurate returns and expected work output in terms of quality of services rendered.”
Sawant, who moved the motion pointed to ‘fear and anxiety in the minds of the people of Goa due to undue inconvenience to general public at large on account of strike notice (given) by Goa Government Employees Association’.
“Government will be implementing only such pay scales and allowances as may be recommended by the Central Pay Commission whether in full or part, based on the financial liabilities the State can bear and no demand beyond pay commission’s recommendations can be accepted,” Parrikar said.
“As such, in the interest of people, I appeal to the association not to resort to the strike. However, in case the association decides to proceed with their threat, appropriate severe penal and disciplinary action would be initiated,” he announced. He also blamed the association for failing to stop wrong behaviour of government employees, who remain absent during duty hours. The CM informed the House that the cash outgo on salary component of all government and government aided employees including pensioners is around Rs 165 crore per month with 31 percent increase in salaries in last two years. The families of the government employees are also provided benefits of Laadli Laxmi and Griha Adhar scheme.
