Shillong, November 22: A total of 12481 trained and untrained teachers working under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) in the State not receiving salary for three months August, September, October 2017 and also the arrear salary of financial year 2016-17 which is of eight months for the period from 1st July 2016 to 28th February, 2017 are yet to be paid by the State Government owing to delay in the transfer of balance budget of 2016-17 of Rs 23758.54 lakh to Meghalaya by Ministry of Human Resources Development Govt of India which SSA teachers’ have to suffered in the long run.
Aristotle C. Rymbai President Meghalaya SSA School Association (MSSASA) Central Body said, the Association had earlier met the State Project Director of SSA-SEMAM and also the Secretary Education department in this regards and they were assured to take up the matter with the Competent Authority but unfortunately till date we are not receiving our pending dues.
At the report received by the Association on November 15 from the Directorate of School Education and Literacy (DSEL) Govt of Meghalaya, on July 19 and October 9 2017 Mr D. P. Wahlang Principal Secretary Education department had send a letter to Smti R. V. Suchiang Principal Secretary Finance department for allocation of adequate funds to State Implementing Society (SIS) SEMAM-SSA from the State budget for clearing the committed liability towards payment of SSA teachers Arrear Salary of the year 2016-17.
The State Project Director (SPD) SEMAM-SSA Ambrose Ch. Marak on October 24 2017 write a letter to the Special Officer to the Govt of Meghalaya Education department for release of pending arrear salary of financial year 2016-17 and irregular disbursement of SSA teachers salary which indicates clearly that the education department has taken up the issues raised by the Association and the file remains pending with Finance department of the State Government.
In spite of the two official letter sent from the Education department but till date the education department has not yet been received any response to their letter from the Finance department Govt of Meghalaya which has keep on delaying to release the eight months pending Arrears salary of last financial year and three months salary of current academic year to 12481 SSA teachers in the state, Rymbai added.
During 2016-17, the Project Approval Board (PAB) Govt of India has sanctioned Rs 45124.44 lakh for Meghalaya for implementation of activities under SSA programme against which Rs 21365.90 lakh only was received by SEMAM-SSA as on March 2017. As such there was a shortfall in receipt of fund by Rs 23758.54 lakh. For cleaning the committed liability towards payment of SSA teachers arrear salary of last financial year the SEMAM-SSA required Rs 8951.39 lakh and Rs 2700.00 lakh (approx) is required for release of one month salary that is Rs 8100.00 lakh (approx) is required for release of three months salary of August, September and October 2017 to the SSA teachers’ and at present the position of fund availability with State Project Office, SSA-SEMAM is Rs 2317.00 lakh (Capital & General head) which Rs 1216.00 lakh only is available under Recurring Head, thus due to acute shortage of fund, salary of SSA teachers could not released since August 2017″ the report says.
To put more pressure on the issue, the Association on November 16 had also written to the Hon’ble Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma who is in-charge of finance department and requested his intervention on the matter for release of adequate funds to State Implementing Society SEMAM-SSA from State Budget for payment of SSA teachers pending dues at the earliest, the Association will also try to meet the Chief Minister in the last week of November to discuss on the issue and others, Rymbai said.
Mr Aristotle C. Rymbai said, under provision of Section 7(5) of RTE Act 2009, the State Government after taking into consideration of the amount of Central Share and mandatory matching State Share, it is the responsibility of State Government to provide the balance funds necessary to fulfill the estimate for the implementation of SSA programme in the State.
Also, in the notification issued by Anil Swarup Secretary MHRD Department of School Education & Literacy Govt of India to Chief Secretary Govt of Meghalaya on February this year it is clearly mentioned “on the acceptance of the 14th Finance Commission recommendations, the State Government has directed to ensure allocation of adequate amount for the school education sector in the State Budget 2017-18 which would also support the effective implementation of the Centrally Sponsored Schemes including SSA Programme”.
Mr Rymbai said that the queries for not release of adequate funds to State Implementing Society SEMAM-SSA from State Budget by the State Government doesn’t arise for which the Finance department of the State Government and the MUA -II Govt can’t run away from taking responsibility to solve the problems faced by SSA teachers in the State by giving excuses that the State Govt have no funds for payment the pending dues of 12481 SSA teachers, Rymbai added.
