Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, Apr 20: Notwithstanding the claims of Government that salaries and pension of employees have been released by April 18, the employees bodies claim that still 70 percent employees were not paid the salaries of March in the State while in various departments even the salaries of February have not been cleared.
Outrighly rejecting the claims of the Government that salaries of the employees and pensioners have been cleared, Abdul Qayoom Wani president Employees Joint Action Committee and J&K Teachers Forum told Excelsior that 70 percent State Government employees are without the salaries of March.
Ridiculing the claims of the Government in this regard, he said employees in various departments have not been even paid the salaries of February also due to financial crunch and non release of MT. The delay in payment of salaries has been a cause of concern for the low paid Government employees, he added
Wani said that the situation is so grave that the teachers working under Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) and RMSA are without salaries for last eight and ten months respectively while Multipurpose workers in Family Welfare Department have also not been paid the salaries for last 10 months.
He said the Government had diverted the funds meant for the employees’ salaries and wrong figures were presented by the officers which resulted in non payment of salaries to teachers and other employees for months together.
Substantiating his views Ganesh Khajuria general secretary of JK Teachers Forum said that employees are in grave crisis as they have not received the salaries of March till date and teachers working under SSA and RMSA are worst sufferers as they have been denied salaries for months together.
He said to protest the delay in release of salaries the Forum has decided to hold a demonstration in front of Director School Education tomorrow as the employees are left with no option except that.
The employees are suffering a lot due to non payment of salaries said Maheshwar Prasad another Trade Union leader. He said despite taking up the issue with various Ministers the Government is unable to release the salaries of teachers working under SSA and RMSA. Besides the employees in various departments have not been paid the salaries of March when over half of the month has passed.
Most of the employees in Agriculture Department have also not been paid the salaries till date claimed Pardeep Sharma chairman Non Gazetted Agriculture Graduates Association (NGAGA). He said even many employees of the department are also without the salaries of February also he added.
The staff of higher education including teaching and non teaching staff are also without salaries of the March, says a senior professor working in one of the colleges of the city. Besides, the employees in Social Welfare Department have also not been paid their salaries of last month.
The doctors appointed by Public Service Commission who joined their services last year have not been paid their salaries in various hospitals for last over six months.
The migrant employees of various departments are also without salaries of March, stated Ramesh Kumar, president Migrant Teachers Forum. He said that some migrant employees are without the salaries of February also while the migrant Anganwari workers have been denied their emoluments for last over seven months, he added.
When contacted, Director Accounts and Treasuries, Lochan Dass said that the salaries of all employees have been cleared as on today. Besides the pension has been released and there is no pendency with the department. He said the delay was caused due to non release of funds.
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