Ranchi: In a significant development, preparations are underway to alleviate the financial burden on HEC (Heavy Engineering Corporation) employees just before Diwali. Following a meeting between the Ministry of Heavy Industries (Government of India) and top management on Monday, a sum of Rs 19.45 crores has been deposited into HEC’s account. This allocation is earmarked for the payment of two months’ salary to the 2780 employees currently working at HEC.
Reports suggest that the authorities are actively working on the logistics of disbursing salaries to both permanent and temporary workers, which includes 500 officers, 28 supervisors, 625 permanent employees, and 1627 temporary workers whose contracts expired on August 31. It’s worth noting that HEC employees have been protesting for the past several months due to pending salaries, with approximately 21 months’ worth of salaries remaining unpaid.
HEC’s operations have been significantly affected recently due to a lack of substantial work orders, insufficient raw materials, and financial constraints to fulfill pending orders. The infusion of Rs 19.45 crore into HEC’s accounts comes from the outstanding dues owed by the Rourkela Steel Plant, some of which have been pending since 2015. The Ministry of Heavy Industries intervened to ensure the release of these long-overdue funds, raising hopes that more outstanding amounts will be settled in the near future, providing much-needed financial relief for HEC and its dedicated workforce.
