Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Aug 15, 2007
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Online edition of India's National Newspaper Wednesday, Aug 15, 2007 ePaper |
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Tamil Nadu
Staff Reporter
Two post-graduate teachers have already resigned “Centre can provide funds only for capital cost”
UNDER CLOUD: A view of the school aided by the Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare Department at Jamunamarathur in Jawadhu Hills in Tiruvannamali district.
TIRUVANNAMALAI: A Government -aided school with over 1,500 tribal students, run by the Society for Rural Development (SFRD) at Jamunamarathur on Javadhu hills in the district, is in serious trouble as teachers have not been getting their salaries after the Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare Department has stopped releasing grant for administrative reasons. K. Arjunan, secretary, SFRD, told The Hindu that the post-graduate teachers were not receiving their salaries since June 2006. The BT and secondary-grade teachers had also not been getting their salaries since January 2007. As a res ult, the teachers had come forward to resign their jobs. In fact, two of the post-graduate teachers had already resigned. There were 11 secondary grade teachers, nine post-graduate teachers, 8 BT teachers and seven non-teaching staff in the school. He said that, since 1991, the SFRD had been imparting education to tribal students in hills. The literacy rate in the hills had gone up from 0.2 per cent to 28 per cent ever since. Recognising the services of the SFRD, the Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare Department had extended 50 per cent education grant to the society as per the GO. No.105 dated September 11, 1998. The SFRD was running a middle school in 1991, which was upgraded to high and high secondary level in 1993 and 1996 respectively. 100 per cent grant
Mr. Arjunan said that the department, through another order (GO.NO. 43 dated March 16, 2005), increased the 50 per cent grant to 100 per cent on the recommendation of the then Tiruvannamalai Collector. It had been clearly stated in the GO that since the SFRD could not get grant either from the Centre or foreign agencies, it had to solely depend on the department for grant. If the grant was not released, the school had to be closed and this would affect the 1,500 tribal students. The SFRD, for the academic year 2005-2006, received a grant of Rs.23.64 lakh. For 2006-2007, the society required a grant of Rs.49.65 lakh. The Commissioner Tribal Welfare Department, in his letter dated September 25, 2006, had said that, as per GO. NO.99 dated June 27, 2006 the teachers, who were getting consolidated pay, were entitled to regular pay scales with effect from June 1, 2006, and hence, an additional sum of Rs.26.01 lakh might be sanctioned. Mr. Arjunan said that the department in a reply letter, dated April 2, 2007, said that the Government had decided to release the existing budget provision of Rs.23.64 lakh as a special case subject to certain conditions. It further stated that the Commissioner of the Tribal Welfare Department might approach the Centre for the provision of funds under the Tribal Sub-Plan Scheme regarding the additional amount of Rs.26.01 lakh for 2006-2007. The Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare Department said that as per the Tribal Sub-Plan Scheme 50 per cent of the grant had to come from the State Government and 50 per cent from the Centre. The Centre had to reimburse 50 per cent of the grant released in 2005-2006 and 2006-2007 to the State Government. Only after receipt of the amount, the grant for 2007-2008 would be considered. Mr. Arjunan said that the refusal of the State Government to release the additional sum of Rs.26.01 lakh for 2006-2007 was arbitrary and unjust. The department was bound by the GO.NO.43 under which the State Government as a special case had sanctioned 100 per cent grant. The department had overlooked the fact that the SFRD could not get funds either from the Centre or from any other foreign agency, and that unless the State Government released funds, the school could not be run. Recurring expenses
Moreover the department should have considered the fact that even as per the Tribal Sub Plan Scheme the Centre could provide funds only for the capital cost, and the recurring expenses had to be met by the State Government. “Will the State Government come forward to resolve the issue and help the SFRD to continue imparting education to tribal students?” Mr. Arjunan asked.
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