Revised pay eludes special school staff

Expressbuzz, July 24, 2009

BHAWANIPATNA: Despite declaration by Government, the teaching and non-teaching staff of Red Cross School for Blind, Deaf and Dumb, Bhawanipatna, are deprived of revised pay and other benefits like GPF, EPF and service book facilities. Around 600 staff working in 52 special schools for blind, deaf and dumb and mentally-challenged in the State are also facing the similar problem despite notification by Government.

These schools are running under the guidance of Women and Child Development Department.

In an order issued in 2005, the Government said eligible teaching staff are eligible for revised pay scale with effect from 2003. However the order is yet to be implemented.

The employees are getting salary as per 6th Pay Commission.

An enquiry further revealed that in Bhawanipatna school, the service books of the teaching and non-teaching staff are yet to be opened. Thus staff are deprived of GPF and EPF benefits.

Incidentally in an advertisement on October 4, 2008, Women and Child Development Department while highlighting benefits accorded to physically-handicapped persons mentioned that teaching and non-teaching staff of the schools getting grant-in-aid would get pay on a par with Government employees with increased dearness allowance of 35 per cent.

Ironically despite all these Government notifications and advertisements, uncertainty writs large on the faces of employees. This may affect the normal functioning of the sensitive institutions, it is feared.