Probe if excise clerk has other sources of income, Ferreira urges govt.
Porvorim: Aldona MLA Adv Carlos Alvares Ferreira urged the government to probe if the suspended upper division clerk, accused of accepting cash payments from licence holders for renewals while stationed at Pernem excise station and failing to deposit the funds into the government treasury, has other sources of income.
He was speaking to support the cut motions and oppose the demands during the assembly session on Tuesday.
Ferreira questioned how the clerk managed to quickly repay Rs 27 lakhs to the government.
“Recovering money from him is one part of it, but a person of the level of a UDC, how does he have Rs 27 lakhs to make the payment in a short time? I am shocked. The government should look into his sources of income and find out if he has something else or some other business which is not being disclosed or some hidden assets from where he has sourced out this money,” he said.
Speaking on employment, Ferreira pointed out that the General Administration Department (GAD) has many vacant posts and the government is hiring people on contract instead of regular basis, and not giving them regular appointments.
“After years of service, the government cites the Umadevi judgement for not regularising them. I think is this wrong. The youth have certain aspirations of joining a job. You cannot keep people pending like this. On the eve of elections, you start filling up jobs, that too on contract basis. It is unfair,” he said.
“When people get appointed on contract basis, they have to inform the employment exchange which means they are employed. Suppose there is a regular post, they will not be registered with the employment exchange. The question is: what will happen to these people? Employment exchange statistics are of those people who are unemployed. The exchange is not bothered whether you have regular or non-regular post. Any employment you are deemed to be employed and your name is struck off from the roll. The figures go to show employed, but the reality is that it is not a secured one, it is a temporary contract basis,” he said.
He also called for ending the practice of granting extensions to government employees.
“I understand top-level posts which require certain expertise, but otherwise, I request the government don’t give any extension, no one is indispensable. This affects the promotional chances of those waiting next in line. For example, in the police force, if you don’t give them regular appointments, they are not eligible to get qualifying years to be inducted into IPS. This officiating, ad hoc posting does not give them benefit,” he said.
The MLA also said that additional charge is given to many officers and this practice should be stopped.
“For instance, the Mapusa municipal council chief officer is holding additional charge. Officers with additional charge come on particular days and then people can’t get the service they want. A place like Mapusa municipality needs a full-time chief officer. Groom a person to take charge if you feel and if the person is deficient, you can remove him,” he said.
Citing revenue leakage in the excise department, the Congress legislator said that when excise permission is granted, it is for the area of operation and timing.
“I request demarcate the area, let the licensees pay the fee and run it legally so that they are not harassed by the excise officials, police, etc. Also, when people go to drink alcohol, especially in residential areas, they cause nuisance and trouble for locals. I request that this should be monitored so that in residential areas you have a fixed timing, and extensions should not be given,” he said.
Regarding skilled development, Ferreira said that training is being imparted for the apprenticeship, but there is no syllabus, no direction and target, and no final assessment is conducted.
He also requested the government to expedite the work on the Konkani Bhasha Bhavan, and undertake repairs for leaking taps at Goa Sadan.
