News: Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network

Panaji, Aug 26: Union minister of state for petroleum and natural gas informed Shantaram Naik, Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha, in a written reply saying that Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Ltd.(ONGC) maintains its obligations towards contract workers engaged by ONGC contractor, as a principal employer, and wages as per Minimum Wages Act, Provident Fund, Employees State Insurance etc., and other facilities as per Government of India guidelines are extended to these employees by the contractors.
 
At present, there are 96 workers deployed by the ONGC contractors in ONGC Goa, for different works and services.

The union minister explained that service contracts are awarded for areas like housekeeping, catering, security, watch and ward etc.

Contractors are free to change their workers on need basis. These contracts are generally for three years duration, commencing from periods ranging from 2008 to 2011 on case to case basis, the minister said.

ONGC has entered into service contracts with the contractors and that the terms of contracts invariably cover compliance of mandatory provisions for service conditions for their workmen as per guidelines on Contract Labour Acts enacted by government of India from time to time.

The demands for increase in wages raised by the workers were settled amicably with the contractors in a meeting held on March 8,2011 in presence of all the parties and Assistant Labour Commissioner (Central), Vasco, the minister added.