Port Blair, Feb 08: A delegation of Andaman & Nicobar Unit of Rashtriya Shaikshik Mahasangh met the consideration committee of 7th Central Pay Commission on 04th day of February, 2015. Under the light of the memorandum submitted earlier to the Secretary, VII CPC the delegation presented its demands with ample justifications to the committee.At the outset, the delegation conveyed its gratitude to the Secretary (Education) for consideration of many of the demands of functionaries of the Education department and submission of the same before the committee on behalf of Administration for consideration in the VII Central Pay Commission.
As desired by the Chairman of the committee, delegation had discussions on the issues which were either not presented by the Administration or need to be presented with more and adequate justification. With Power point presentation, the following issues were presented and discussed by the delegation.
Restoration of Pay and Grade Pay in respect of Physical Education Teacher, Librarian, craft Instructor etc. at par with the pay structure of GTT. The anomaly made in VI CPC caused a huge financial loss to the officials of the concerned cadre. Their Grade Pay must be restored at par with that of V CPC and arrear of financial loss due to anomaly in VI CPC may be allowed to concerned officials.
Hard Area Allowance (HAA) is being paid to the employees posted in Nicobar District only. In view of the remoteness, Hard to reach and other aspects, recently the Department of Education, A & N Administration has notified few areas/locations in South Andaman District and North-Middle Andaman District as Hard Areas. Employees posted in such areas should also be paid with HAA.
Leave Travel concession is allowed to teachers only during summer vacations. Which bars them from re-imbursement of expenditure incurred on travel to mainland out of summer vacation on account of illness/emergency call of relatives/family members in mainland, attending important functions in mainland, admission of wards in mainland for higher education, routine medical examination etc..Teachers should be allowed to avail LTC out of summer vacation on special cases.
Teachers are not paid with Island Special Duty Allowance (ISDA) during Summer Vacation with the justification of rule which is framed for leave. But the Summer Vacation is not a leave. Though the proposal requires modification or clarification of rule and not the financial up-gradation, it was proposed that teachers should be paid with full ISDA during summer vacation.
Exemption of Children Education Allowance (CEA) from Income Tax as CEA is the re-imbursement of expenditure incurred by the Employee. CEA should not be considered as Income for computation of Income Tax.
For preparation of Teaching Aids to facilitate teaching-learning process, purchase of reference study material/journals to update the knowledge/information, teachers need to make expenditure out of its own pocket. The committee was requested to recommend Academic Allowance for teachers up to minimum of Rs. 1000/- per month.
CCL may be extended to male employee whose wife has expired and the sole responsibility of wards rests on father of ward(s) and 10 day Earned Leave for vocational staff may be restored in place of 20 days Half Pay Leave.
At last the delegation submitted to the committee that the VI CPC recommendations brought revolutionary change in the life of the teachers by uplifting their living standards. The teaching community is expecting the same from VII CPC.
