Teachers hold protest over non-payment of salary

Nawanshahr, April 23

Under the banner of the Sanjha Adhyapak Morcha, primary teachers, who are awaiting their salary for March, along with other leaders of the morcha, staged a protest outside the District Education Office (DEO) here on Friday.

The protesting teachers said all posts of Block Primary Education Officer (BPEO) in the district were lying vacant due to which the March salary of the teachers could not be released.

They said earlier their salaries for December, January and February were released in the last week of March due to budget-related issues. Now, the March salary hasn’t been released as there is no BPEO in the district. If, the issue remains unresolved, the salary for April would also be delayed.

Notably, the BPEOs are responsible for monitoring elementary and primary schools, release of salary bills and other coordinating jobs. The teachers said the functioning of primary schools is being affected in the absence of the BPEO and their salaries are being delayed repeatedly, but nothing is being done to resolve the matter.

“There are a total seven blocks in the district, but not a single BPEO has been appointed so far. All seven posts of BPEO are lying vacant. Even we asked the higher authorities to give powers of the drawing and disbursing officer (DDO), which usually remains with the BPEO, to any other officer in the district, so that salary-related work is not delayed, but to no avail,” they said.

“Teachers and leaders of the Sanjha Adhyapak Morcha, have now decided to meet the DPI to put forward the demand of appointment of the BPEO in Nawanshahr ,” said Kuldeep Singh Daurka.