SUBHASH MISHRA
Ranchi April 11: Over 62,000 Assistant Teachers (Para Teachers) of the state are on the boil for non-payment of their March month honorarium during Eid and Sahrul festivals.
Siddique Sheikh, president of the Jharkhand State Trained Assistant Teachers Association (JSTATA), the frontal organisation of 62,000 Assistant Teachers, said that assistant teachers are disappointed due to the apathetic attitude of departments over non-payment of honorarium.
“Eid and Sahrul are important festivals of minority and tribal communities, but authorities did not think it necessary to pay an honorarium of March month to teachers,” said Siddique Sheikh.
As per the official report, the number of minority community teachers is over 15,000 to 16,000. Now, it looks like even on the occasion of the Ramnavmi festival (April 17), the honorarium of March would not be paid.
Also Read- Jharkhand News: Palamu police go on unstoppable recovery drive to flush out illicit arms, liquor and narcotics
A delegation of JSTATA under Siddique Sheikh had on Monday (April 8) gone to the HRD and Jharkhand Education Project Council (JEPC) to meet authorities regarding March month’s honorarium. Still, they were informed that since concerned officials are engaged in the election, there is no scope for payment before festivals.
Sources said the JEPC director was out of the state for election work, so the honorarium payment is held up.
“This is not the first time honorarium payment has been held up. In the past, too, authorities did not release honorariums on festivals. After the death of former education minister Jagarnath Mahto, ignorance of Assistant Teachers issues has increased”, said Siddique.
The TSTATA officer bearer said not only assistant teachers but 7000 CRP and BRP have also not been paid their March month’s honorarium so far.
