DoSE clarifies on teachers’ salaries

Commissioner and secretary Department of School Education (DoSE) T. Imkonglemba Ao has admitted that salaries of 2730 teachers under Central Sponsored Schemes (CSS) could not be cleared and was a cause for concern for the government and empathized with the teachers undergoing hardships.
In a clarification to statements issued by the All Nagaland School Teachers Association (ANSTA) and Nagaland Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan Teachers Association (NSSATA) over the non-payment of salaries, the Imkonglemba denied any diversion of fund received under SSA and other flagship programmes. He emphasised that state government accorded due priority to meet the salary requirement including release of 10% of the total outlay as state matching share of the programme, despite paucity of fund.
The commissioner and secretary also disclosed that the SSA Mission led by the commissioner and secretary (designate) was currently camped in Delhi to pursue release of fund and therefore, salary will be released as and when fund is available.
He also clarified that the demand to find ways and means for release of salaries through state’s own resources and later refund it, amount to “diversion of fund from other sources. The official also pointed out that such diversion would cause shortages and that shifting one problem to other components of the state finances would not be judicious at the fag-end of the financial year.
On the issue of the appointing authority not being in a position to make regular or timely payment to employees, the official asserted that SSA teachers were appointed as per the RTE Act on the understanding the salary for such appointees would be funded by the government of India through its flagship programmes. He also said similar problems were also being faced by other states.
Imkonglemba also conveyed to SSA teachers that it was the prerogative of the state government on how their appointments were to be treated since they were appointed under SSA programme and that the state government would decide on the mode of payment of salary, whether Plan or Non Plan.
The commissioner and secretary requested SSA teachers to call off their proposed agitation in view of efforts made by the government and that it was a matter of time before salaries would be released. He also clarified that salaries of SSA employees had been cleared till the month of November 2013 and not as claimed. The official further requested Controlling officers to take up the matter with their respective Treasuries.
Kiphire SSA teachers
KIPHIRE, MAR 8: As per the directives from the Nagaland SSA Teachers’ Association (NSSATA), the SSA teachers of Kiphire unit have decided boycott classes from March 10 till further notice. The protest has been called owing to non payment of salaries for four months and arrears to SSA teacher, it said.
NSSATA Kiphire unit, has convened a general meeting on March 13 at Cambridge High School Kiphire at 2:30 pm. All members have been directed to attend the meeting without fail.