Newmai News Network SHILLONG, November 2 Deficit teachers in Meghalaya may soon get pension facilities extended to them if the state government fails to make corrections to the Contributory Provident Fund with retrospective effect within 3 months. This turn of events has come after the Meghalaya High Court issued a directive to the state government to make this correction within 3 months, failing which, it will have to pay pension to deficit college teachers in the state. In its judgment passed here on November 1, the division bench comprising of the chief justice Mohammad Yaqoob Mir and Justice SR Sen said, “In case the government fails to correct the Contributory Provident Fund and other directions, they will have to pay pension to government deficit, adhoc, aided college teachers and staff as per pension rule applicable to government college teachers and staff.” The bench, which also disposed of the writ petitions filed by the Meghalaya College Teachers Association (MTCA), has also asked the state government to comply with the various directions within three months. The government has been directed to correct the Contributory Provident Fund immediately with retrospective effect as per the Contributory Provident Fund Rules (India), 1962 and the Assam Deficit College Employees (Pension) Rules, 1998. According to the bench, teachers who joined service on or after April 1 2010 can be given the benefits of the New Defined Contributory Pension Scheme with effect from April 1 2010 instead of April 1 2018. It also maintained that the benefits of the Assam Non-Government (Deficit) College Central Pension and Provident Fund Act, 1997 and the Assam Deficit College Employees (Pension) Rules, 1998 be given to teachers who retired/joined prior to April 1 2010 as well as those who are still serving and also those who retire after 2010 till 2018 and in future, with retrospective effect. Directing the government to frame rules for all pensioner benefits including family pension for retired teachers and those who have expired as per the above mentioned Assam Acts & Rules, the bench also asked the government to also take immediate care to clear the monthly salary of the teachers who are not getting their salary for months. It further asked the state government that no tax be deducted on the contribution made by the teachers, the bench also directed the government to issue instructions to all colleges in that regard and if any tax is deducted at the time of contribution of the Provident Fund, that is to be refunded to the teachers immediately.
