Bathinda, November 7

Retired employees of non-government aided colleges have alleged that around 3,000 retired teachers and 1,400 employees of 142 aided colleges of Punjab are victims of state government apathy. Due to this, they are compelled to lead a “pathetic” retired life in the absence of any social security and pension benefits from neither the state government nor college managements, they said.

In a letter to Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, Punjab Aided Colleges Retired Employees’ Association president Prof Sukhdev Singh Hundal and DAV Colleges Retired Teachers’ Association president Prof Rajnish Kumar demanded his intervention into the matter. They said: “An amendment in the Service Security Act to grant pension to retired employees of non-government aided colleges was duly passed in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha. In 2000, information/estimate was sought from the aided colleges regarding financial liabilities but the scheme was never implemented despite repeated requests and later, it was repealed.”

Prof NK Gosian of DAV Colleges’ Retired Association said: “Sans any social security or other source of income, these employees are leading a deplorable and pathetic post-retirement life. Many of them are suffering from various ailments due to old age. More than 500 employees have already passed away awaiting pension. We are not given any benefits despite having served for 35-40 years.” He also said ever since the state government repealed the pension scheme passed in 1996, the retired teachers had been left high and dry. — TNS