EMN
Dimapur, October 8
sNow it is the turn of Hindi teachers to wait for salary from the government of Nagaland–and it’s been a four-month long wait. Furious now that the plight has got to them, the teachers have said that the government and the education department should be ‘ashamed.’
Even more suspicious yet again is that the association has corroborated that the central government has already released the funds to be used as salary–yet again pointing to something amiss in the government.
The All Nagaland Aggrieved Hindi Teachers Association (ANAHTA) has on Thursday given the government two weeks from the publication of this statement to release all pending bills. Failure to address the demand would invite and own course of action, the organization said in press statement on October 8.
The statement was addressed to the Finance commissioner, and to the Commissioner & Secretary for education and director for School Education.
“That our salary has been withheld for the last 4 months. We have not been paid our salary since June 2015 till date, running 5 months,” the statement said.
“That as per the letter dated 27th November, 2011, which is addressed to the Principal Accounts Officer, department of Higher Education, MHRD, Shastri Bhawan, New Delhi From the Under Secretary MHRD, Government of India, the amount for payment of salary for Hindi teachers appointed under CSS has been sanctioned and accorded to the Secretary Education, Government of Nagaland.”
The statement quoted the principal accounts officer of the ministry of Human Resource Development: “Accordingly the sanction of the President of lndia is accorded to the payment of grant of salary for the period 2014-15 amounting to Rs. 41, 40, 55, 699/- (Rupees forty
one crore forty lakhs fifty five thousand six hundred ninety nine only) to the Education Secretary Government of Nagaland for incurring expenditure on Hindi teachers appointed under the centrally sponsored scheme of appointment of language teachers.”
“The Grant-in-aid of Rs. 41, 40, 55, 699/- has been entered at S. No 2 of IF II Register at page 16.”
The association told the government and education department that they were aware that salary was not only a matter of right for the duties the teachers have rendered, but also the only means of survival for the teachers.
“The non- payment of salary is not only affecting the teachers, but the survival of the family as a whole. The inhuman treatment is causing irreparable mental torment to us the teachers and our families. Time and again we the teachers payment has been withheld for the inaction of the government and the department. We the teachers and our families are made to bear the brunt for no fault of ours,” the Hindi teachers said.
“We the teachers should not be made to fight for the salaries due to us, our duty is to teach the students sincerely and the duty of the Government and department is to monthly and timely release the salaries to the teachers.”
The government and the department also said that they cannot approach the authorities all the time “because we have to teach the students.”
The teachers also do not have the resources to keep on approaching the authorities for what is rightfully theirs, the association said. “The esteemed authorities may kindly be reminded that salary and survival is a matter of right. The government and the department should be ashamed for making the suffering teachers to demand for monthly salary.”
The government and the Education department have been requested to give a ‘befitting clarification in writing as to why our salary is once again withheld for more than 4 months followed by immediate release of pending salaries, within 2 weeks from today.’
Should the grievance go without redress, the association added, ‘We shall be left with no option, but to take our own course of action for which the government and the department shall be held liable.’
