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Poor Functioning of Govt School

Sir,

This is in reference to the Write up "Recruitment of Teachers" by O.P.Sharma published in Daily Excelsior on November 13, 2000 and I agree with his views but for poor functioning of the Government Schools, teachers cannot be blamed. The problem lies with top managers who appoint teachers from among those who cannot get service in other departments because of their poor Education as is quite clear from the present scheme of Rehbar-e-Taleem also. They also do not send their own children of Government schools and do not feel the burnt but are just passing time at the cost of public money. Had the children of Ministers, and policy makers studying in Government school, the shortfall, misuse of money inefficiency would have been fed back by their children. This would have done some good for those school since the proverb "Only the bearer knows where the shoe pinches". Surely holds good even in today's time. The main sufferers are the poor rurals and backwards but nobody is bothered about them who are dependent on Government school. The private schools get Pupils from socially, educationally and financially much better parents who secure positions, distinctions, first Divisions due to the reasons that they take regular private tuition and also their parents regularly coach them in most of the cases. Besides, the teachers in the rural and backward areas have worst possible working conditions, for instance, deplorable school buildings without any compound wall, play grounds inadequate 3rd class furniture and other articles. The teachers in such areas can be often seen with the classes being taken in Open under the tress even during summer seasons or rainy days. The student in rural areas, therefore, remain poor educationally. In order to come over this problem and make the Pandit Nehru's dream for children of the country true, the need of the hour is that the State Government should come out of the cocoon and construct sufficient school building both in Urban and rural areas with residential quarters for teachers (rent free), supply of sufficient furniture articles of good quality including better sitting arrangements for students, play ground, doubling the strength of the teachers in rural school, provision of a orderly and a chowkidar for each school, 50 percent addition in the basic pay of the rural teacher in addition to other allowances admissible under rules. These measures if taken will help in improving the standard of education in the schools.

Yours etc
B.L. Balwa,
Udhampur

Problems of Dental Surgeon

Sir,

Our State Government seem to be hell bent upon mal-treating health professionals particularly the Dental Surgeons.

Few posts of Dental Surgeons were advertised by the J&K Public Service Commission and since then more than one and half years have passed but neither interviews have been conducted nor any fresh posts have been advertised. This is despite the fact that a number of posts are lying vacant particularly at far flung areas. This all has led to the mental agony of the candidates particularly those who are on the verge of overage. Concerned higher authorities are requested to do the needful in this regard.

About two years back, doctors were appointed on adhoc basis at far flung areas. Government takes months together in giving extension to adhocees. Thus making us to suffer for want of salaries. Government needs to give sympathetic consideration in this regard.

In comparison to the general health, our Government seem to be doing very little for the improvement of dental health of our public. It is well known fact that more than 90 percent of the population do suffer from dental disease in one way or the other.

Seminars, dental camps, dental health programmes etc. need to be conducted with the help of dental professionals and the public. This all should be done at par with the programmes, like intensive pulse polio programme, AIDS preventive programmes etc. Then only the dental health of the society can be improved.

I hope that the higher Government authorities will look into above mentioned facts and do its best to solve them soon.

Yours etc..
Dr. Kuldeep Kumar
Dental Surgeon
PHC Dachhan

Implement GOI order

Sir,

The Central Government under No. 45/86/97 - P and PW (A) part I dated 18th October 1999 has revised the pension of its pensioners who retired between 1.1.1996 to 30.9.1996 but the State Government pension rules which are also framed on the pattern adopted by the Central Government have not been modified upto this time although many requests have been made by the concerned pensioners from time to time.

As per above said order of the Central Government, the retirees for the period they remained in the pre-revised scales before their retirement for calculation of last 10 months average emoluments in addition to other emoluments such as Basic Pay plus actual Dearness Allowance, Ist and IInd instalment of interim Relief appropriate to the Basic Pay at the rate in force on January 1, 1996 drawn during the relevant period are also entitled to addition of Fitment benefit 40 percent of the Basic pay for this period and the Dearness Allowance @ 148 percent 111 percent and 96 percent of the basic pay as the case may be which these two items the State Government has not allowed resulting in much loss in fixation of pension of the said pensioners.

The resource crunch said to be main hurdle in not doing so but the same should not have been allowed to come in the way of revision of pension of pensioners retired between the above said period who are less in number, whilease their juniors pre- 1.1.1996 and post 1.10.1996 pensioners are drawing much pension. This shows that the Government has meted out step motherly treatment with these pensioners are instead of mitigating their woes compounded miseries by not incorporating necessary modification in State pension rules. The State Government is not likely to come out of the self made Financial crunch prevailing in the State and on the name of said crunch has been exploiting the pensioners who are senior citizens of the State and deserve respect and all this which is due to them.

The necessary modification orders in pension rules as mentioned above may kindly be issued by the Government so as to enable the concerned to get their pension revised accordingly.

Yours etc...
B.L. Balwal
11 L.I.G. Housing Colony,
Phase I Udhampur.