Employees Joint Consultative Committee (EJCC) has castigated the state government for its failure in evolving a mechanism to address the grievances of the protesting SSA teachers. EJCC spokesperson Bashir Ahmad Ganaie demanded that the pending salaries of all forty one thousand Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) teachers be released immediately.
“It’s a shame that even after the long confrontation, the state government has failed to resolve this crisis resulting in large-scale sufferings to the teacher community and their families. They don’t have money to feed their families, to pay the fee for their children, to bring medicines for their ailing parents; it is a big shame for the government,” he said. “At first, they (government) ruined the lives of SSA teachers by snatching their precious five years against a meager honorarium of 1500 rupees and now they are being told that they are not government employees.
These senseless statements bring the teachers, who are the nation builders, in a state of mental trauma,” the spokesperson said. He said in view of the upcoming Eid-ul-Fitr, the crisis has augmented and is getting worse for the teachers and their dependents. Demanding that the state government devise a robust mechanism to streamline salaries of SSA teachers, Ganaie said, “These teachers should not be seen as a burden instead they are assets who have made education possible in the remotest corners of the state.
They have unlocked those schools in the remote areas which were under rusted locks for years. The least the government can do for them is to ensure that these teachers get their salaries on time without any hassles.” The spokesperson said the government has released salaries for the month of April only and have kept dues of other months pending.
Besides, the April salary was disbursed without applying the benefits of the 7th pay commission, he said. “This is where the confusion has doubled. Earlier teachers working under the SSA scheme, introduced in the state in 2003, have taken benefits of the 6th pay commission, every year incentives are being provided to them but now same is being denied for reasons known to government, which is unacceptable to the whole employee fraternity of the state especially the EJCC which is representing the cause of almost five lakh employees of the state. The teachers are being told that they are no more permanent employees of the state thereby adding to the chaos and confusion.”
“Why should a teacher suffer just because the government can’t keep its house in order? The frequent changes in ministries and non-serious approach of the state government have made the matters worse for these employees. It is time for the chief minister Mehbooba Mufti and her council of ministers to come out of their comfort zones and do some course correction immediately,” he said. “It is unfortunate that the government is not doing anything on the ground except the formation of odds useless committees, an already constituted committee is yet to submit its report, the government had formed another committee. EJCC demands the settlement of this grave human issue before the festive occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr otherwise it will hold intensified protest demonstrations across the state and will also observe the Eid as ‘black day’ with SSA teachers.”
The EJCC spokesperson added, “Similarly Anganwadi workers are made to suffer for their salaries from many months, GRS working in Rural Development department are not being paid the salaries from last four months, SBM workers are waiting for their honorarium from last two years, fair price shop dealers are waiting for the commission, poor hamals are not being paid the dues of loading/unloading. Are these the good days which the government is sloganeering for?” The meeting, according to statement, was attended by all the apex body members including chairman Aijaz Ahmad Khan, Sheikh Aijaz Makhdoomi, Sajad Khaja, Manzoor Pampori, Ishtiyaq Beigh, Bashir Ahmad Ganaie, Javied Ahmad Akhoon, Farooq Ahmad Kawa, Tariq Ahmad Sofi, Abdul Qayoom Beigh, Tasleema Subhan, Showkat Ahmad Nowshehri, Sheikh Majid, Athar Muzafar, Rafaqat Jeelani, Rehmatullah Khan, Abra Ahmad, Bhat Aashiq, Javed Rizvi, and Bashir Ahmad Rahmatullah.