DIPR
Dimapur, March 21
Following the sit-in demonstration by affected SSA teachers in front of the State Assembly on March 20, the department of School Education has issued a clarification on the issue of salary of SSA teachers. It said the SSA teachers have been paid till November 2013 and salary for the month of December 2013 is in process of release and pending salaries are for January and February 2014. The department also stated that Rs 9803.02 lakh released by the Centre during 2013-14 in the form of adhoc release and first installment, was meant to be spent for recurring and non recurring expenditure and not for payment of salary alone.
Stating that the funding pattern for the programme is on a ratio of 90% by the Centre and 10% by the State government, the release said as on date, the State government has released 100% of State’s share, which has been utilised for payment of salary.
Informing that approximate salary requirement for the SSA teachers for one year is Rs 82 crore, the department said out of this an approximate amount of Rs 59 crore has been spent on salary during 2013-14 and an amount of Rs 23 is required for payment of the pending salary including arrears.The department said it is anticipating release of the second installment by the Centre for the current year within this month and that the due salary and arrears will be released immediately on receipt of the amount. However, it said no specific date can be assured.
This had been made known to the delegation of the teachers on March 13 when they met the department officials in the presence of the ANSTA general secretary, the release stated.
On the other points raised by the teachers such as job security and service condition etc., the department said these are issues to be addressed under relevant Service Rules and existing government regulations and may not be combined with the salary issue.
“In view of the above, every day school boycotted by the teachers is irrecoverable,” the department affirmed while once again appealling to the agitating teachers to call off their stir and resume their duties for the welfare of the students and in the interest of public service.
