Assembly Estimates Committee demands auction of liquor outlets owned by PAPSCO

It will help generate revenue to pay pending salary to employees: committee chairman

A meeting of the Assembly Estimates committee was held on Legislative Assembly campus in Puducherry on Tuesday. | Photo Credit: S.S. Kumar

The Estimates Committee of the Assembly has urged the government to auction the bars owned by the Puducherry Agro Products Food and Civil Supplies Corporation as a means to generate revenue for payment of pending salary. 

The committee which met under the chairmanship of DMK MLA A. M. H. Nazeem at the Assembly on Tuesday urged the government to consider its proposal to auction 30 odd liquor outlets under the control of PAPSCO. 

Mr. Nazeem said the auction of the outlets would help government earn around ₹100 crore. The amount could be utilised for payment of salary to its workforce numbering around 1,000.

They have been working without salary for the last 55 months, he added. Members belonging to BJP, AINRC, DMK and Independents attended the meeting. 

Meanwhile, the agitation by the PAPSCO workers entered the fifth day on Tuesday. The workers under the banner of AITUC have been staging protest demanding payment of salary for the last five days.