CHENNAI: Members of Federation of Integrated Education Department employees staged protests across various district headquarters, demanding the release of their pending salaries. A section of employees also wore black dresses to work to protest the delay.
Over 20,000 workers, including permanent staff such as Block Resource Teacher Educators, have not received their salaries due to a delay in funds from the central government. The delay is because of a standoff over the signing of the MoU for the PM SHRI schools initiative between the central and state governments.
Top officials from the department said the state’s finance department is also looking into the situation and exploring ways to ensure the disbursement of salaries. “We have been paying the salaries from the state government’s share since April.
We are also asking the centre to provide the funds actively,” official said. “CM Stalin should issue an order to immediately release the salaries as we are recruited by the state government,” said K Sampath of TN All Block Resource Teachers Development Association. Various associations have decided to protest separately in Chennai on October 9 and 10.