KOHIMA, MARCH 10 (MExN): The All Nagaland School Teachers’ Association (ANSTA) today responded to the denial of the Commissioner & Secretary, Department of School Education, over the diversion of funds received under the SSA programme.
“In this regard, the Association would like to ask the concerned authority that – if there is no fund diversion why two months salaries (Oct and Nov) of SSA teachers could not be paid on time when SSA authority had already released (32,49,74,085 Crores) on 17-9-13 and credited to the State Govt. Account in favour of DSE in the Head account of 0202 Education vide Challan No. 5 for payment of 5 months salaries w.e.f. June to Nov. 2013. If the fund being earmarked for the salary of teachers is not diverted, then where had two months salaries disappeared and could released (Oct. salary) only in the month of Feb. 2014 and Nov. pay is not released till date,” observed the ANSTA in a press release from its general secretary, P. Vashum, and president, Ponchulo Wanth.
It further noted that it has been clearly mentioned in the “Appointment Order & ascertained through RTI” that SSA teachers had been appointed against the posts created through P&AR “by observing all formalities and appointed on a regular basis whose service shall not co-terminus with SSA projects. In other words, they are now State Govt. employees.” In view of this, the Association has appealed the State Government to “carry the burden of paying their salaries from the state resource/fund during non-release of fund from the funding agencies so that they get salaries on regular basis like other state government employees.”
It may be noted that the Nagaland SSA Teachers’ Association (NSSATA) is boycotting work from March 10 for non-payment of salaries for the past four months (November 2013-February 2014).
The ANSTA has also questioned that “if state govt. is accorded due priority to salary requirement as claimed, then the salary component of the teachers should not be touched under any circumstances so as to avoid current type of problem in the near future.”
With regard to the “outgoing agitation” of the NSSATA, the ANSTA has appealed the Government several times to “do the needful in time and also requested SSA teachers not go ahead with their programme as it will affect the students, but both the parties failed to comply.” The ANSTA reiterated that students should not suffer for the “unresponsive attitude of govt./teachers” and therefore, urged both parties to address the issue “with all seriousness and bring out an amicable solution without further delay.”
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