SHILLONG, NOV 22: The Meghalaya Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan Schools’ Association (MSSASA) today equally blamed the Centre and state governments for the delay in releasing the three-month salary and eight-month arrears of the 12,481 teachers in the state.
In a statement issued here on Wednesday, MSSASA president Aristotle C Rymbai said the state government is yet to release the salary for the month of August, September and October and also the 8-month arrears for the financial year 2016-17.
“This is due to the delay in the transfer of the balance budget of 2016-17 of Rs 23758.54 lakh to Meghalaya by the Ministry of Human Resources Development Government of India,” he said.
Rymbai also informed that the association had earlier met the State Project Director of SSA-SEMAM and also the Secretary Education department in this regard and they were assured to take up the matter with the Competent Authority but unfortunately till date teachers are yet to get their pending dues.
As per report received by the association from the Directorate of School Education & Literacy (DSEL), he said the Principal Secretary education DP Wahlang had on July 19 and October 9had send a letter to Principal Secretary of Finance RV Suchiang for allocation of adequate funds to SEMAM-SSA from the state budget for clearing the committed liability towards payment of arrears for the year 2016-17.
he said the SEMAM-SSA project director Ambrose Ch Marak had also sent a letter to the Special Officer to the education department on October 24, for releasing of the pending arrears.
“This clearly indicates that the education department had taken up the issues raised by the association but the same is pending with the finance department of the state government,” he said.
Also the report says, till date the education department has not yet been received any response to their letter from the Finance department Govt of Meghalaya which has keep on delaying to release the eight months pending Arrears salary of last financial year and three months salary of current academic year to 12481 SSA teachers in the state, Rymbai added.
“During 2016-17, the Project Approval Board (PAB) Govt of India has sanctioned Rs 45124.44 lakh for Meghalaya for implementation of activities under SSA programme against which Rs 21365.90 lakh only was received by SEMAM-SSA as on March 2017. As such there was a shortfall in receipt of fund by Rs 23758.54 lakh. For cleaning the committed liability towards payment of SSA teachers arrear salary of last financial year the SEMAM-SSA required Rs 8951.39 lakh and Rs 2700.00 lakh (approx) is required for release of one month salary that is Rs 8100.00 lakh (approx) is required for release of three months salary of August, September and October 2017 to the SSA teachers’ and at present the position of fund availability with State Project Office, SSA-SEMAM is Rs 2317.00 lakh (Capital & General head) which Rs 1216.00 lakh only is available under Recurring Head, thus due to acute shortage of fund, salary of SSA teachers could not released since August 2017” the report says.
To put more pressure on the issue, the Association on November 16 had also written to the Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma who is in-charge of finance department and requested his intervention on the matter for release of adequate funds to State Implementing Society SEMAM-SSA from State Budget for payment of SSA teachers pending dues at the earliest, the Association will also try to meet the Chief Minister in the last week of November to discuss on the issue and others, Rymbai said.
Rymbai said, under provision of Section 7(5) of RTE Act 2009, the State Government after taking into consideration of the amount of Central Share and mandatory matching State Share, it is the responsibility of State Government to provide the balance funds necessary to fulfill the estimate for the implementation of SSA programme in the State.
Also, in the notification issued by Anil Swarup Secretary MHRD Department of School Education & Literacy Govt of India to Chief Secretary Govt of Meghalaya on February this year it is clearly mentioned “on the acceptance of the 14th Finance Commission recommendations, the State Government has directed to ensure allocation of adequate amount for the school education sector in the State Budget 2017-18 which would also support the effective implementation of the Centrally Sponsored Schemes including SSA Programme”, therefore the queries for not release of adequate funds to State Implementing Society SEMAM-SSA from State Budget by the State Government doesn’t arise for which the Finance department of the State Government and the MUA -II Govt can’t run away from taking responsibility to solve the problems faced by SSA teachers in the State by giving excuses that the State Govt have no funds for payment the pending dues of 12481 SSA teachers, Rymbai added.
By Our Reporter
+ There are no comments
Add yours