The central government on Friday cleared a one-time grant of ₹175.51 crore for arrears on account of pending dues after implementation of the 7th Pay Commission in Panjab University.
The Centre also increased the financial assistance for the existing amount of ₹294.78 crore to ₹346.07 crore for the financial year 2024-25.
“As per the 7th Pay Commission, the revised scale salary of around 1,378 teachers and 1,515 non-teaching staff, from January 2016 to December 2022, was pending. The staff had started receiving the revised pay from January 2023 but the arrears have been pending since then. It is after repeated requests and support of ministry and PU officials that we received the notification for the release of the grant on Friday,” said Panjab University Teachers Association (PUTA) president AS Naura.
“On behalf of all PU teachers, PUTA conveys thanks to the vice-chancellor for extending unflinching support in getting the arrears of Pay, accruing due to the 7th Pay Commission, which had been pending for a long. PUTA is particularly appreciative of the proactive role played by the V-C in pursuing the whole issue with utmost sincerity and for providing all assistance to PUTA. Professor Vig has been persistently standing by her teachers all through, for which we shall remain grateful,” PUTA said in the official release.
The UGC had fixed the grant for PU at ₹176 crore in 2014 and ever since has been granting only a 6% annual hike. PU has sent numerous reminders to UGC to revise the grant given the implementation of the revised pay scales in line with the 6th and 7th Pay Commission recommendations. Finally, on Friday, the Centre approved the one-time grant for clearing the pending arrears.
{{/usCountry}}The UGC had fixed the grant for PU at ₹176 crore in 2014 and ever since has been granting only a 6% annual hike. PU has sent numerous reminders to UGC to revise the grant given the implementation of the revised pay scales in line with the 6th and 7th Pay Commission recommendations. Finally, on Friday, the Centre approved the one-time grant for clearing the pending arrears.
{{/usCountry}}The pending arrears of teachers under the 7th Pay Commission have always remained the top promise in the PUTA elections every year.