UP : Anomalies in state pay hike order irks teachers and employees

The state government move to woo teachers of the higher education and employees before Lok Sabha elections by implementing sixth pay commissionommission may boomerang. 
While the order issued for pay revision of teachers gives hiked salaries only from December 1, 2008 instead of January 1, 2006, as recommended by the University Grants Commission (UGC), the government forgot to issue an order for the employees of the corporations. 

Teachers were shocked to see the government order issued on Tuesday on pay hike which said that the revision will be applicable from December 1, 2008. It also did not mention about revision of pension to retired teachers. 

Interestingly, 80% of the hiked salary of teachers will be given by the union government for next five years and state has to bear only 20% of the expenses. The Centre will give about Rs 700 crore and state government will dole out Rs 170 crore in 2009-10 financial year. 
There are 17,500 teachers in 12 state universities, 345 government-aided colleges and 125 government colleges in UP. Over 20 lakh students are enrolled in these institutions. 

Describing state government's act as "cheating", Moulindu Mishra, president, Lucknow University Associated Colleges Teachers Association (LUACTA), said that teachers will be forced to launch an agitation, if government fails to correct the anomaly soon. 
However, a "correction" seems unlikely in near future as election code of conduct has come into force and will continue till May 16. 

"In such a situation government should take permission from the Election Commission and issue another order providing full benefits to teachers from January 1, 2006, as it is being implemented in centre university and other state universities," said LUACTA president. 

Pushpendra Mishra, general secretary, Lucknow University Teachers Association, also secretary, Federation of UP Residential University Teachers Association, said that government's act amounts to cheating and it will face the consequences in elections, if the order is not corrected soon. "Government is not treating teachers at par with employees as all others have got revised scale with effect from 2006," he said. 

On the other hand, retired teachers were left out in the order. It happened in 1996 as well, when fifth pay commission report was implemented. Later, government implemented the revision for retired teachers but with effect from 2000 leading to huge losses. 

Sources also said that state government forgot to include RML National Law University in its pay revision order. 
The same is the case with the employees of the corporation who have been left out while pay revision has been implemented for all other state government employees. Now, UP Jal Nigam officers and employees have formed a joint committee and have launched an agitation. Ram Sevak Shukla, convener of the committee, has started a hunger strike to protest against government apathy. 
"Government has given sixth pay commission to about 9 lakh employees but 18,000 working in corporations have been left out," said Shukla. A A Farooqi, president, UP Engineers Association, has also supported the agitation.