No salary issue for regularised Samagra Shiksha teachers, payment delayed due to financial reforms: Assam minister

Assam Education Minister Ranoj Pegu on August 6 assured regularised teachers who were previously serving on contract under Samagra Shiksha Assam (SSA) that there is no issue regarding their salaries and that the delay in payment this month is only temporary.

The assurance came after Pegu held a meeting with representatives of the SRD Teachers' Welfare Forum and the All Assam Primary Teachers' Association to discuss concerns raised by teachers regularised through the Special Recruitment Drive (SRD).

Addressing the concerns, the minister said the teachers would receive their salaries within the next couple of days, adding that the delay was caused by ongoing financial reforms in the treasury payment system.

"There is no problem regarding the salaries of these teachers. Although there has been a slight delay this month, they will receive their salaries within the next two days as they did earlier," Pegu said.

He explained that the teachers' salary disbursement system has been shifted following financial reforms, but all service-related benefits available to them as regular government employees will continue without any change.

According to the minister, the teachers now have accounts on the FinAssam portal, through which their salaries and other service-related benefits will be processed. While they earlier received salaries through their respective district treasuries, their salaries for this month will be credited through the Dispur Treasury as part of the revised financial system.

Pegu clarified that there has been no change in the salary head or service conditions of the regularised employees.

"After completing their tenure under Samagra Shiksha, these teachers have joined as regular employees of the Assam Government. They will continue to enjoy all the benefits and service conditions applicable to regular government employees in the future as well," he said.

The minister urged teachers not to worry and appealed for patience, stating that the delay was a one-time issue arising from changes in the financial processing system.

"The financial system has undergone procedural changes, which caused this month's delay. This will not happen in the future. Their salaries, pay slips and other service-related processes will continue to be handled through FinAssam, and they will receive their monthly salaries through the treasury as regular government employees," Pegu added.