Gana Sikshaks yet to get new pay scale, in dire straits  

ROURKELA: After 10 years of wait, the hopes of 1,512 Gana Sikshaks in Sundargarh district got fulfilled when their jobs were regularised in January with their elevation as Assistant Teachers.

While they were promised salaries as per the Seventh Pay Commission with retrospective effective from March 2017, they have not received their salaries for two or three months putting them in financial straits. They are now getting a paltry consolidated pay of Rs 7,000 per month.

Sundargarh District Gana Sikshak Mahasangh (SDGKM) president Sudhakar Singh said all 1,512 GS posts in the district have been regularised, while 68 GS posts in the district failed to get elevation due to technical reason. He said they are happy to get higher pay-scales almost after 10 years, but at present, due to delay in release of consolidated salaries, a majority of Gana Sikshaks are facing hardships. Singh said in Balishankara and a few other blocks, the Gana Sikshaks have received consolidate monthly pay of Rs 7,000 for December 2017, but in other blocks, they are yet to get payment. Singh said they were informed that shortly they would be paid new pay scale from January onwards, while arrears would be paid later.

Sources said in majority of the 17 blocks in the district, the Gana Sikshaks have not received consolidated monthly pay of Rs 7,000 from December 2017 and they are facing difficult times with majority of them living a hand to mouth existence and attending schools from far-flung areas. They said from middle of 2014, they were not getting payment on time as monthly consolidated pays of July, August and September 2017 were given in October 2017.All Utkal Primary Teachers’ Federation treasurer Sanjay Samal said the Gana Sikshaks form a very important component of primary education system in government schools as they conduct teaching and essential non-teaching services.  Samal said he hopes that their condition would improve soon with new net pay of about Rs 25,500.

A lady Gana Sikshak, who daily travels about 50 km from Rajgangpur block to an interior school in Raiboga panchayat of Kuanrmunda block, said she has to spent Rs 90 daily on bus fare, adding that with no regular pay, she is managing with personal borrowing. Another lady GS said she has to often borrow to pay for travel costs, while a grocery shop near her house allows her monthly credit and when she receives payment, nothing is left in her hands.