Notice to MHRD for alleged non-payment of salaries to Bihar

Taking suo motu cognizance of media report about alleged non-payment of salaries to approximately 2.5 lakh school teachers of the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) in Bihar since September, 2015, BHRC today sent a notice to the Union Ministry of Human Resources Development (MHRD) to send its reply by April 21 next.
Bihar State Human Rights Commission member Neelmani said that non-payment or delayed salary payment to teachers adversely affected their motivation causing harm to the very objective for which the said scheme was launched. The ministry has been asked to file its response/comment in the matter by April 21 next when the matter is listed for hearing, a BHRC statement said here.

Earlier on February 19, the State Project Director, Bihar Education Project Council, had in reply to a notice informed the BHRC that the delay in payment of salary had been due to the delayed and reduced amount released by the government of India.
"It is further submitted that school teachers are not getting salary due to delayed and reduced amount released from GOI. However, it is submitted that now the government of India has released Rs 771 crore as second instalment and the state government too has approved its share of Rs 345 crore under SSA," the State Project Director had said.

The BHRC had earlier issued notices to the State Project Director, Bihar Education Project Council, the State implementing agency for SSA and the Principal Secretary, Education Department, Government of Bihar.
All these exercises have been taken up after a report appeared in a newspaper regarding non-payment of salaries to approximately 2.5 lakh school teachers since September, 2015. The salaries are paid from the funds from the SSA in which the Centre and Bihar government contributes in the ratio of 60:40.