Kohima, March 8 (MExN): As the demand for release of pending salaries of teachers under CSS grows, the Department of School Education (DoSE) has presented “factual position” on release of funds for implementation of various Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS) like SSA, RMSA and Hindi teachers.
A press release from FP Solo, Principal Secretary, DoSE informed that under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), an amount of Rs. 30780.84 lakhs for 2016-17 was approved by the Programme Approval Board (PAB) for implementation of various components including recurring and non-recurring grants. Out of the approved budget, the share of the Government of India which is 90% is Rs. 27070.96 lakhs. The Government of India, Solo said, has released a total amount of Rs. 10725.34 lakhs so far in three parts: May 10, 2016 (Adhoc) – Rs. 2600 lakh; November 11, 2016 (first installment) – Rs. 5813.46 lakh; February 16, 2017 (second installment) – Rs. 2311.88 lakh.
The press release clarified that there are strict guidelines and norms for utilization of funds for recurring and non-recurring grants. General and recurring grant cannot be used for non-recurring grant and vice-versa; salary comes under general and recurring grant, it added. Therefore, out of the second installment of Rs. 2311.88 lakhs, which the department is yet to receive including State Matching Share, the department will be able to meet only 2 months' salary of SSA teachers from November to December, 2016. “The department is however hopeful of getting more release from the MHRD, GOI during March, 2017 to meet the salary requirement for the remaining months of 2016-17,” DoSE stated.
Further, it was mentioned that the Department has been informed by the MHRD, GOI that the BE for SSA during the current year 2016-17 is Rs. 22,500 crores against the overall approved PAB outlay of Rs. 74,248 crores for all 36 States and UTs, of which, the central component comes to Rs. 46,700 crores.
For RMSA, the PAB had approved an amount of Rs. 7747.08 lakhs during the 2016-17, out of which, Rs. 3548.07 lakhs was for non-recurring grant and Rs. 4199.00 lakhs for recurring grant, according to the department. An amount of Rs. 3983.33 lakhs out of the recurring grant is meant for teachers’ salary. Out of the PAB approved outlay of Rs. 7747.08 lakhs, the following releases have been made by the Government of India: May 13, 2016 (Adhoc) – Rs. 105.14 lakhs; July 11, 2016 (first installment) Rs. 1321.27 lakhs; November 24, 2016 (first installment) – Rs. 1083.17.
Informing that the release of the second installment is awaited from the MHRD, GOI, Solo said the Education department will be releasing at least 2 months' salary of RMSA teachers for the months of November and December, 2016 within March as soon as fund is released by the GOI. An amount of Rs. 5326.42 which was received during 2016 is non-recurring grant for the last five years and cannot be used for payment of salaries, he added.
Regarding the Hindi teachers, DoSE informed that the State Government appointed 1379 Hindi Teachers under CSS called ‘Appointment of Language Teachers' during the 12th Five Year Plan ( 2012-17) which is 100% funded by the GOI. For the current year 2016-17, the department submitted a proposal of Rs. 4889.06 lakhs as salary requirement to the GOI. However, the GOI released an amount of only Rs. 600.00 lakhs in September, 2016, the press release mentioned. “The monthly salary requirement being Rs. 394.00 lakhs, the State Govt. had however, released salary of Hindi Teachers for 3 months.” The delay in release of fund for Hindi Teachers, according to the DoSE, is due to non placement of fund by the Ministry of Finance to the MHRD, GOI. Meanwhile, the department said the matter for early release of fund and continuation of the Scheme beyond the 12th Five Year Plan which is ending on March 31, 2017 has been taken up with the Government of India at the Chief Minister’s level.
NSSATA on funding pattern; tells State govt to pay all pending salaries
Dimapur, March 8 (MExN): In response to the DoSE regarding release of funds for implementation of Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS), Nagaland SSA Teachers’ Association (NSSATA) today highlighted the funding pattern of Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) with regard to Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA).
The Central government releases adhoc grants in April every year for the start-up programme followed by two installments; the first installment released in April for expenditure from April to September followed by the second installment in September for expenditure from October to March, the association said in a press release.
The Project Approval Board GoI rules/guidelines and procedure for release of funds, according to the release, “clearly states that whenever the Govt. of India releases the fund to the State exchequer, the State has to immediately transfer the entire amount to its implementing agency (SMA) not later than 15 days and the State Govt. has to deposit its matching share (i.e. 10%) to the State society within 30 days of the receipt of the Central fund and thus submit the Utilization Certificate on time to ensure smooth implementation of the programme.”
The press release of DoSE, NSSATA said, “clearly points out the fact that the Nagaland State Government has not been adhering to the Central funding pattern. Thus, the question of delay in releasing of funds from MHRD and payment of (2010 & 2013 batch) teachers’ salaries does not arise.”
Meanwhile, NSSATA demanded the State Government to fulfill the written assurance issued by the Commissioner & Secretary to the Govt. of Nagaland in November, 2016 by paying all the pending salaries from November 2016 to February 2017 along with the arrears of 2016 immediately. “Failing in complying to the written assurance will constrain the teachers to apply any form of action to fight for our survival and livelihood,” cautioned the release issued by Aliba Sangtam, President and Asungla Lemtor, Assistant General Secretary of NSSATA.
