Thaindian News

Chandigarh, July 3 (IANS) Reversing the decision of the previous Congress regime, the Punjab government Sunday restored the pension of school teachers in government-aided schools in the state.

“The Punjab government today took a historic decision to restore the pension of more than 3,000 retired teaching as well as non-teaching employees of 95 percent grant-in-aid private aided schools,” state Education Minister Sewa Singh Sekhwan said.

Pension in these schools was stopped by the previous Congress regime in 2003 for those retiring after that year.

Sekhwan said that the Punjab government has not only restored pension for the post-2003 retirees, but also for the 6,000 employees who retired before 2003, the minister said.

He said that Rs.40 crore have already been released to pay the arrears of enhanced pension.

“The liability of Rs.287 crore has been worked out to pay pensions and arrears of pensions to more than 3,000 teachers, who have now being granted pensions. Their arrears would be paid in five equal yearly instalments,” Sekhwan said.

He described the decision of the previous Congress government to stop pensions to retired teachers of government-aided schools as “a grave injustice”.

“When the government is giving 95 percent grant to these schools, the teachers are entitled for pension too,” he said.

He said that the Punjab government wanted to accord top priority to education. He said that nearly 70,000 teachers have been appointed to government schools in recent months.