*Nearly 40,000 teachers to get blocked salaries
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Apr 20: After being reprimanded by the Union Human Resource Development Ministry, the PDP-BJP Coalition Government today released Rs 155 crore to the Project Director Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), which was withheld by the Finance Department during the regime of previous Coalition Government for full financial year. This step has paved the way for release of withheld installments worth Rs 500 crore of the previous financial year by the Union Ministry and payment of salaries to nearly 40,000 teachers blocked since long.
Reliable sources told EXCELSIOR that soon after being briefed by the officers, who had to face embarrassment in the HRD Ministry due to the follies of the previous regime in the State, Minister for Education, Naeem Akhtar took up the issue of release of Rs 135 crore first installment under SSA along with matching State share with the Finance Minister.
The first installment of Rs 135 crore of previous financial year meant for SSA activities remained withheld in the State Finance Department for full year as a result of which HRD Ministry blocked release of subsequent installments worth Rs 500 crore under this flagship scheme.
“On the personal intervention of Minister for Education, Naeem Akhtar, the Finance Minister, Dr Haseeb A Drabu issued directions for release of Rs 155 crore to SSA Project Director and subsequently this amount was transferred to the concerned authorities for utilization strictly as per the guidelines of the scheme”, sources informed.
They disclosed that this step has paved the way for release of subsequent installments of previous financial year withheld by the Union HRD Ministry. “The SSA authorities would furnish the statement of accounts to the Department of School Education and Literacy of the Union Ministry and accordingly Rs 500 crore worth revenue component would be released to the State”, sources said.
With the release of subsequent installments, the State SSA authorities would be able to release salaries to the teachers engaged under this scheme, sources said. Around 40000 employees engaged under this scheme would get reprieve as some of them have not been paid salaries since May last year while as others are clamoring for their salaries since November last year.
“Moreover, by getting Rs 155 crore withheld amount released, the Minister for Education, Naeem Akhtar has also paved the way for convincing the HRD Ministry to convene Project Approval Board meeting of this scheme and sanction funds for the current financial year”, sources said.
It is pertinent to mention here that Vrinda Sarup, Secretary School Education and Literacy of the Union Ministry had refused to convene Project Approval Board meeting of SSA in view of failure of the State authorities to keep the released funds at the disposal of the Project Director SSA.
When contacted, Minister for Education Naeem Akhtar said, “we are also seriously pondering over the problems confronting another flagship scheme of RMSA”, adding “we are also planning to make sure that unspent balance of previous financial year is expended in accordance with the guidelines of scheme”.
“We are taking all corrective steps to bring the education sector back on track”, he further said, adding “in future it would be ensured that all the funds released under the Centrally Sponsored Schemes are kept at the disposal of concerned authorities soon after the transfer of funds to the State”.
It is worthwhile to mention here that out of Rs 415 crore released under RMSA during previous financial year, Rs 394 crore remained unspent and this compelled the Secretary in HRD Ministry, Vrinda Sarup to refuse holding of Project Approval Board meeting of this scheme also.
The release of unspent amount of last financial year would also pave the way for holding of PAB meeting of this scheme also, sources added.
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