Implement pension, gratuity scheme: Teachers of private aided colleges

Private aided colleges of Punjab have not yet been covered under the pension and gratuity scheme by the state government, though the scheme was passed in 1996 in favour of the teachers. Consequently, over 4,000 teachers from 140 aided colleges have once again gathered under the common platform of Punjab Non-Government Aided Colleges Employees (retd) Association in which retired employees are in majority.

The Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers Union (PCCTU) will be supporting this movement.

On Friday morning, the teachers will take out a candlelight march in front of the houses of Punjab Assembly Speaker C S Atwal and Maheshinder Singh Grewal. K B S Sodhi, a retired teacher and former state president of PCCTU, said, "Widows of more than 100 employees will also be taking part in the candle march. It is really pathetic on the part of the government that they have not implemented the pension and gratuity scheme to date."

He said though the Act was formed in 1996 and the teachers went to court in 1999 because of non-implementation of the scheme, the governments preferred to stay quiet as the matter was in court. But recently, the court had summoned the finance secretary and education secretary on this issue.

Dr Kuldeep Singh, member of PU Senate and general secretary PCCTU, said, "We will also be holding a symbolic protest on November 26 when the President of India makes his maiden visit to Ludhiana."

Taken out in Patiala on Thursday, the protest will also be held in Muktsar, the Chief Minister's home town, Jalandhar and Amritsar.

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