Black gudi for Maharashtra Education Minister, as teachers suffer dark days

(From left) Members of the Maharashtra Shikshak Parishad, Dilip Bhatia, B D Gerde, Narendra Pathak, Anil Bornare, Subhash Ambhore hold the black gudi outside the Education Minister's residence

On a day when Mumbaikars competed to see who could get the most colourful decorations up to celebrate Gudi Padwa, Education Minister Vinod Tawde may have been the only person with a black gudi outside his house.

The black gudi was placed outside his house by members of the Maharashtra Shikshak Parishad (MSP), who were protesting the fact that more than 27,000 teachers had not been paid their salary for weeks. Nearly three weeks into March, these teachers are yet to receive their salary for February. The delay was caused by glitches in the centralised online salary disbursement system, because of the salary was supposed to be disbursed offline. As of now, a debate rages on in the Supreme Court over which bank the salaries will be disbursed through. The SC has directed the government to keep the options open until there is a verdict in the case.

Missing loan payments
Subhash Ambhore, a drawing teacher from a Vikhroli school, said, "It is due to the political debate over bank that the teachers are suffering. For us, all that matters is that we get our salary on time." Ambhore has two loans for which he has missed the installments. He stated that 70 per cent of teachers are in the same condition.

Anil Bornare, from the MSP, added, "The paperwork for salary should be completed by the 20th of any month, so that salaries can be issued on the first day of the following month. But in February, the Government Resolution (GR) was issued on February 23, after realising that the Shalarth salary process was glitching. Following the traditional process, documents were then submitted to the government by February 26 by all schools. We can consider a delay of a few days, but even the month of March is nearly over. By now, the paperwork for March's salary should have started. This is a problem only in the Mumbai division, because they are waiting for approval from the state for the bank."

Minister says
Education Minister Vinod Tawde assured that after the next hearing in the case - scheduled tio take place today - a decision will be taken on the issue. Tawde told mid-day, "After the verdict was given by Bombay High Court to issue salary through Union Bank, there was a process to be followed, which takes time. We had requested MLC Kapil Patil to continue with Mumbai Bank for February's salary, so that the teachers don't have to wait. But he was firm on Union Bank. This is the reason for this delay. But the salaries will be disbursed by Tuesday or Wednesday."

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