MADURAI/THENI: Nearly 200 staff working under the Mahalir Thittam under Deen Dayal Upadhaya Gramem Kaushalya Yojana(DDU-GKY), including Assistant Project Officers, Community Organisers and Computer Operators, say they have not been paid salary since March, allegedly because the centre was yet to release funds.
According to sources, 60% of salary expenditure is funded by the central government and the rest is borne by the State government. An Assistant Project Officer (APO) under DDU-GKY who did not wish to be identified, told TNIE that APOs receive consolidated monthly salary ranging between Rs 28,000 and Rs 35,000. “We have been working for more than 15 years. The delay in salary disbursement has left many of us struggling to meet household expenses and support our families. We are finding it difficult to pay house rent, purchase groceries and meet EMI commitments,” he said.
“The beginning of academic year has further worsened the situation. Many of us have to pay school fees for our children. We are under severe financial and mental stress for the past three months,” he added.
A Data Entry Operator said she has been employed for over five years and receives a consolidated salary of Rs 15,000 per month. “Non-payment of salaries for the past several months has created uncertainty and hardship among employees, many of whom depend entirely on their monthly income,” she said.
When contacted, Shanthi, a district-level Project Officer in Madurai, refuted claims that all DDU-GKY staff were affected. She said only computer staff were yet to receive salaries for April and May. “The pending salaries are likely to be disbursed within a couple of days,” she said.
A senior official from the Tamil Nadu Corporation for Development of Women said, “There has been a delay in receiving central funds. We expect the funds to be released either on Wednesday or Thursday. Once the funds are received, the salaries will be disbursed,” the official said.
