By TCN Special Correspondent,
Lucknow: The issue of nonpayment of salaries to madarsa teachers in UP rocked the assembly session on Monday. The madarsa teachers in the state are not being paid their salary for past eight months. The minister Azam Khan assured that government will institute a probe in the whole affair and punish the guilty officials.
During the question hour UP Congress President and MLA Dr Rita Bahuguna Joshi raised the question about the nonpayment of salaries to the madarsa teachers. Joshi asked in her question that despite the grant released by the central government in November 2011, the madarsa teachers are still not being paid any salary.
The answer was provided to the house by parliamentary affairs minister Azam Khan who also holds the minority welfare ministry. Khan assured the house that an enquiry will be ordered as to how the madarsa teachers were denied their salaries despite the grants. “We will initiate strict action against the guilty officials,” said Azam Khan. Responding to the question Azam Khan, however, denied any plans to increase salaries of the madarsa teachers. He also lashed out at the
previous Mayawati regime during which he alleged that no work took place in the minority welfare department.
In reply to another question by Congress MLA Dr Rita Bahuguna Joshi, the minister Azma Khan ruled out any service guidelines for the teachers of madarsa teaching modern subjects. Since 1993 the teachers are imparting modern education in these madarsas. In his reply Azam Khan ruled out any separate service guidelines for such teachers. He stated that as the scheme for imparting modern education in madarsas is totally temporary and is being run in the state through centre’s assistance. Thus there is no need for the state government to interfere and frame service guidelines. Azam Khan also clarified that the state has not received any assistance from centre since January 2012. He also stated that the utilisation certificates for the grant received earlier in the scheme have been sent to central government on November 3, 2011.