Meghalaya teachers under Sarba Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) can now heave a sigh of relief as the central government has finally released an amount of Rs 135 crores for pending recurring expenditure of the SSA programme.
Meghalaya Education Minister Lakmen Rymbui while interacting with the media in Shillong on Thursday said that with the release of central funds, the ‘SSA programme would now be stabilized and salaries of the SSA teachers will be paid from November last year till March this year’.
He also said that the Centre released the money after much persuasion by the Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma and the State Government.
Rymbui also said that as per the sanction order, the entire amount has been released under general head (recurring) for implementation of activities under SSA scheme for SC/ST component during 2017-18
The State Education Minister further said that the Education Department has its own challenges.
Elaborating on various categories of teachers in the State, he said that there were financial implications and there was a need for the Government to look at the demands of the teachers besides looking at the financial proportion of the State.
He also said that the Government would examine all the genuine demands of the teachers be it their inclusions in the Fifth Pay Commission or any other demands.