PANAJI
Close to hundred government employees from group ‘C’ category have opted for voluntary retirement under the State government’s VRS scheme that was introduced way back in November 2023. With voluntary superannuation of these employees, all the posts held by them stands abolished.
The police department has a maximum number of 29 officials taking benefit of the scheme that included civil staff, police sub inspectors, ASIs, head constables and police sub inspectors.
The State government in November, last year, approved the VRS for group ‘C’ employees aged 45 years and above. The scheme was amended in February to extend the benefit to those employees who are less than 45 years in age but have completed 20 years of service.
A senior official confirmed that the finance department cleared VRS proposals of nearly hundred employees in last nine months. “Majority of the employees are those above 45 years while there are very few cases where the employee has completed 20 years in service but the age criteria is below 45 years,” official said.
The Official said that the proposals are sent by the respective departmental heads with clear recommendations for each application. In the case of those below 45 years, the medical conditions are cited as the prime reason.
“These numbers are very few. Their VRS is recommended on medical grounds or for some reason related to health, because of which the employee is not in position to continue in service,” official explained.
The government’s noting about the scheme clearly mentions that the posts that are vacated by virtue of VRS would stand abolished. “If we fill up these posts again and also pay those VRS employees, it would amount to a cost burden,” the official said.
As per the scheme, addition to the facilities covered under the CCS Pension Rules 1972 (now 2021) and the employee covered under new pension system, the employee who avails VRS is entitled two months’ salary for each year of service left till superannuation, subject to a maximum of 20 per cent balance non-incremental salary receivable based on the basic pay drawn as on the intended date of voluntary retirement.
