Meghalaya Govt constitutes salary rationalisation committee on SSA staff’s 80% hike demand 

Shillong, Aug 1: The state government has constituted a Rationalisation Committee to examine the proposal for enhancement and rationalisation of the salaries of all the Samagra Shiksha (Non-Academic) staff in the state even as the agitating staff have decided to continue with their sit-in-demonstration till demand for 80% salary enhancement is achieved.

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A notification in regards to the constitution of the 20-member committee to be headed by Commissioner & Secretary, Vijay Kumar Mantri, was also handed over by the Chief Minister, Conrad K Sangma, to the delegation of All Meghalaya SSA Non Teaching Staffs Association (AMSSANTSA) during a meeting held in his office chamber, here on Thursday.

Over 1200 non-teaching staff under the SSA are staging an indefinite sit-in-demonstration at Malki ground after rejecting the state government’s decision to enhance their salary by only 25 per cent. The agitating employees are demanding 80 percent salary enhancement plus 2 percent based on seniority and 5 per cent annual increment.

Spelling out the 7-point terms of reference (ToR), the notification issued by the education department said that the committee has been tasked with the responsibility to examine all the proposals received thus far pertaining to the enhancement of salaries of all non-academic staff of SSA.

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It said that the committee shall study the pay structures of other societies in the state of Meghalaya and also make a reference to the pay structures followed in other similar institutions besides the committee will study and suggest steps to eliminate all the disparity in pay levels of similar posts across various districts and blocks.

“The committee shall also examine the proposals received pertaining to the annual increment to such staff. The committee shall consider the length of service for rationalisation of salaries. The committee shall also make suggestions and recommendations related to the rationalisation of posts of different categories. The committee shall ensure that the guidelines and directions issued by Finance department from time to time are adhered to while making the recommendation,” the notification added.

Welcoming the government’s decision, president of the AMSSANTSA, Jennyfer J Synrem, said, “We have trust and faith in our chief minister, who is a very good leader and a dynamic leader, that he will do it. It (Govt) is not buying time because why should we exclude the others when we are getting a chance to ensure equal pay for equal work to everyone.”

“However, we will not call off our indefinite sit-in-demonstration till our demands are met so that we don’t have to come and knock on the government’s door every now and then,” she said.

The president said that the chief minister is very positive towards considering the long overdue enhancement.

The last enhancement was done way back in 2016.

According to her, the association totally trusts the government as this will be the first time that it is going to streamline and rationalise the system.

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Asked on the reason for them not demanding for enhancement during the last eight years, Synrem said, “When you are working very hard and you don’t have time for your family, definitely we don’t have time for agitation, we are not interested in agitations as we have got lots of things to do, lots of work piling, we have to identify schools, we have to give facilities – we are working for the 9 lakh students.”

She informed that the committee will sit for its first meeting to discuss the issue on Friday.

Read: Tourists’ harassment near Sohra| Meghalaya tourism hit with mass cancellations due to ‘fear’

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