Teachers set to celebrate Diwali without salaries

Tribune News Service 

Chandigarh, October 15 

It appears that 819 junior basic and trained graduate teachers and other 245 employees of Sarv Shiksha Abhiyaan (SSA) will not get their two month salary before Diwali for the third consecutive year. This is due to the delay by the Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Human Resource and Development in the transfer of balance shortfall budget of 2016-17 to Chandigarh which is Rs 19 crore. 

“UT Administrator VP Singh Badnore had told a delegation of the SSA to pay salary by taking loan from some department when they met him on October 5 in Raj Bhawan. Necessary directions had been issued to officials but due to inaction by the Finance Secretary, the loan has not been arranged,” said Arvind Rana, president of the association. 

The association had earlier met Director School Education (DSE), Secretary Education and even MP Kirron Kher and even wrote to Special Secretary and Additional Secretary, HRD Ministry, for transferring the budget well before Diwali .

With school and transport fee of kids of teachers is to be given and expenses of festivals is lurking ahead, teachers are at loss of competing with the circumstances.