The Delhi University Teachers’ Association (DUTA) said on Tuesday that it will hold a protest on August 21 if the city goverment does not release adequate grant-in-aid for the 12 DU colleges fully funded by it.
The DU and the AAP dispensation have been locked in a tussle over formation of governing bodies in 28 colleges fully or partially funded by it. The DUTA said that governing bodies have been formed in nine out of 12 colleges fully funded by the government but due to the ‘‘inadequate’‘ grants released by the government, salaries have not been paid to staffers since May.
On August 6, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia’s office has issued a statement alleging corruption in the 12 DU colleges.
In an online briefing, the DUTA called them ‘‘unsubstantiated allegations’‘.
“It is obvious that this is another ploy for their callous and inhuman act of not releasing the required Grant-in-Aid to these colleges, as a result of which employees in these colleges have gone without salaries for several months,” said DUTA president Rajib Ray.
Ray said employees have gone without salaries for the past four months for no fault of theirs. “For the past one year or more, the sanction of grants to the 12 colleges 100 per cent funded by the Delhi Government has been sporadic and inadequate. Inordinate and unexplained delays in release of grant have had a crippling effect on institutions. This is totally unacceptable, more so in the current context, when employees are battling health and livelihood issues,” he added.
{{/usCountry}}Ray said employees have gone without salaries for the past four months for no fault of theirs. “For the past one year or more, the sanction of grants to the 12 colleges 100 per cent funded by the Delhi Government has been sporadic and inadequate. Inordinate and unexplained delays in release of grant have had a crippling effect on institutions. This is totally unacceptable, more so in the current context, when employees are battling health and livelihood issues,” he added.
{{/usCountry}}Most colleges have not paid salaries from the month of May. In some colleges, employees only received a part of their salary for the month of April, he claimed.
The Delhi government had released grants in aid for paying salaries in three instalments (Final Installment for the financial year 2019-2020 towards salaries from January to March), and two for financial year 2020-21.
On release of each of these installments, it was brought to the notice of the Delhi Govt that the grants sanctioned were highly inadequate and not enough to cover salaries for the said periods, he said.
Colleges have not received any Grant-in-Aid for the month of June, July or August, according to Ray.
The DUTA has given a call for protest at Mandi House on August 21, if the government does not release adequate grants for the colleges.