Min Dhavalikar cornered in Assembly over staff shortage & contract workers issue in Goa Elect Dept
Nearly 20% of positions at the Electricity Dept vacant, how does dept function, questioned Digambar
MLA Sequeira says min doing injustice to contract workers
Goemkarponn desk
PORVORIM: The ruling MLAs criticized Power Minister Sudin Dhavalikar today over the Goa Electricity Department’s inability to function without the necessary manpower.
Nearly 20% of the positions in the Electricity Department are unfilled, according to MLA Digambar Kamat, who questioned how the department could continue to operate with such vacancies.
According to Minister Sudin Dhavalikar, the Staff Selection Commission will fill these positions.
“The problem of contract employees will be handled in two months. We will only proceed with hiring using the Work Charge Establishment basis. Before the Ganesh Chaturthi festival, the problem will be fixed, according to Dhavalikar.
He added that because the government has been renting out vehicles for the past seven years, the posts needed for heavy and light vehicles will be eliminated.
Instead, he continued, “We are filling positions like junior engineers and others that are required for the electricity department.”
MLA Mandrem Jit Arolkar informed the House that an officer from the Power Department had laid the cornerstone for a substation on the occasion of his birthday. If the officer is proven to be responsible for such an act, the officer will be transferred, according to Minister Dhavalikar.
Delilah Lobo, a Siolim MLA, wanted a bucket crane to replace the street lights in her district. According to Minister Dhavalikar, the department has already put out to bid the job for the same.
In the meantime, MLA Alex Sequeira claimed that the Power Minister had been treating contract workers from the ST community unfairly. In response, the Minister said that the problem involved 91 workers who failed their tests and that it would be rectified before Ganesh.
