Government school teachers sans salaries for six months  

Ferozepur, June 20, 2017:  The three months old Punjab Government led by Congress Party’s Capt Amarinder Singh, Chief Minister, too has failed to pay wages to the teachers in the government schools in the district, for the last six months.

The Punjab government’s revenue growth looks to be standstill and it not only defaulted in paying the salaries but also on account of certain schemes to the beneficiaries. The government already in deficit is busy in planning its budget without bothering for priority over wages to its employees on regular basis.

Sources said, the wages for the school heads have been received but could not be disbursed as there is no regular District Education Officer in the district and the Deputy DEO has not been given the drawing and disbursing powers – DD Powers.

Speaking to this correspondent, one of the teachers said, we could not make programme for outing of the kids during the summer holidays in view non-disbursement of wages to them.

Another couple, on anonymity, cursed the new government for poor planning like the previous government for not paying the wages to the teachers on regular basis.  The couple said, if the teaching class, which produces every class in the society, is not satisfied, what else could be expected from the government.

They further said, we both being in the same department are facing financial crisis to run the day today household affairs.  Even we have to borrow some money from our near and dears to pay the electricity and water bills which are disconnected in the event of non-payment.

Non-payment of wages to the teachers continuously for six months itself speaks of poor governance on the part of government. Since the budget session is going on, the Finance Minister should plan the existing budget in such a way that teachers are paid their wages on monthly basis without any delay, said few teachers working in the government schools.

Even one of the teacher said, we will be left with no other alternative except to register our protest throughout the state to wake up the ‘sleeping government’.

District Education Officer, Pargat Singh Brar, could not be contacted despite trying to know the reasons behind non-payment of wages for the last six months.