Release of arrears also delayed, issue to be sorted out soon, says CEO Kupwara
Srinagar: The official apathy has marred streamlining of monthly salary of teachers working in Kupwara district. The department has withheld salary of erstwhile SSA teachers working in Kupwara district, adding to their miseries.
A group of teachers told wire service—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), that they have not received salary for the month of March to August of 2019. However the department directly released salary from September month and kept previous month salaries unpaid to the teachers.
“We were permanently absorbed in department in 2019 but the effect was given from September 2018. In this regard our salaries were delinked from Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) from March 2019 and were being paid our salary from state budget,” the teachers said.
They said that the department kept salary from March 2019 to August 2019 unpaid and started releasing salary of teachers from September month.
“In other districts the teachers have received salary for all the months but unfortunately teachers of Kupwara district are facing mental trama,” they said.
The teachers said after releasing salary from state budget from March this year the government decided that the amount of money which was enhanced in the monthly salary of teachers from September 2018 to February 2019 will be released as arrears separately.
“That amount is also pending as department didn’t clear the unpaid arrears and salary of previous months,” the teachers said. The government school teachers who had completed graduation or post-graduation from state universities were absorbed as grade II teachers and those having 10+2 qualification were regularised as Grade III teachers respectively.
The teachers said the department justifies the delay citing that the funds to meet out arrears of were supposed to be released from Samagra directorate. “The department plays blame game wherein officials at CEO office Kupwara say funds were not released from directorate and when we approach Director office they say CEOs don’t submit their requirement of funds to clear the liability,” the teachers said.
An official at accounts section of Directorate of School Education Kashmir (DSEK) said the issue has been taken up with CEO office Kupwara and the liability will be cleared very soon.
CEO Kupwara said the department is working on the issue and will be addressed as early as possible. “We are here for welfare of teachers and all their issues will be resolved. The salary of previous months and arrears will be released,” he said