SSA teachers have decided not to relent, as they wait for the still pending five months’ of dues, and will continue with their non-cooperation protest against the state government.
The teachers are protesting under the banner of the Meghalaya SSA Schools Association. Its president, Aristotle C Rymbai told reporters today that the non-cooperation launched in December last year will continue and it will not be withdrawn till the government listens to their demands.
He said that the State government has failed to release the additional funds amounting to Rs.104 crores that has been lying with it for the last three years under the financial support for payment of SSA teachers salary as per Capping norms of ‘Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan’ a part of 10 per cent state share to be borne by the State.
Stating that as per the RTI findings the state government has not released its share for the past three years, amounting to Rs 104 crore, he informed that in 2019-2020 the amount of money that still lies with the government is Rs 34.10 crores, in 2020-2021, Rs 33.946, and 2021-2022, Rs 36.32 crores amounting to a total of Rs 104.366 crore.
“If the state government is saying that they are waiting for the second installment from the central government to be in a position to pay our dues then why does it not release this amount of Rs 104 crores,” he questioned.
Informing that on November 18, 2021, the secretary of education government of Meghalaya Ambrose Marak has sent the association proposal to the finance department to take immediate action and released the additional fund of Rs 104 crore to be borne by the State government from its state budget as per the norms of Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, he said that it is surprising that to date the additional amount has not been released but in an RTI report it has been mentioned that the finance department government of Meghalaya vide a letter dated March 4, 2020, agreed to release the additional amount against capping norm for teachers salary.
He alleged that Chief Minister Conrad Sangma is trying to mislead the SSA teachers and the people of the state by saying that the SSA programme depends on the central government as per the funding pattern of 90:10.
Rymbai said that the statement made by the chief minister contradicts the letter sent by the Union Minister of Education Ramesh Pokhriyal on January 22, 2021 where it was mentioned that the capping norm of salary of teachers under Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan the additional amount has to be borne by the State government.
“We demand the MDA government to immediately release the additional fund of Rs 104 crores and not misled the SSA teachers and the people in general on the matter,” he added.
