Delhi Government is releasing funds amounting to Rs 28.24 crores for the salaries of the staff of its fully-funded DU colleges, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Tuesday.
Clearing the chaos over non-payments to academic staff in Delhi Government funded colleges, Kejriwal said the Government will only issue funds in the future based on the directions of the court on whether the funds currently available under different heads can be used for salaries or not. “We are releasing the amount so that teaching staff and the colleges do not suffer till the matter is in court.” “We will issue an invite to the Vice-Chancellor on behalf of Shri Manish Sisodia Ji's office to initiate a dialogue with him on the pending issues and concerns,” he added.
“I have been reading news reports that the teaching staff of the DU colleges is not getting salaries. Our Government is known and recognised for working to improve the education and health sectors in Delhi but there has been an unwarranted misunderstanding and misinterpretation of the intentions of the Delhi government. I want to clarify to all of the esteemed members present in this meeting, we are on the same side of the table. We do not oppose the pleas and concerns of the staff. Since the last few years, we have tried to initiate talks with the DU authorities and the VC, but there may have been differences, political and otherwise. Today is a new beginning,” Kejriwal said during his meeting with senior academic staff , Principal Secretary and other senior officials.
Supporting the CM Kejriwal, Deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia also said that the 12 fully funded colleges should have confidence in the Delhi government, and they should be 100% Delhi government-funded colleges in letter and spirit; unfair to demand funds from government but follow Pattern of Assistance of another agency. “There should be 100 per cent transparency in their accounts and budgets which is required to bridge the gap between the Delhi government and Delhi University, Sisodia asserted, who also hold portfolio of education minister in the Delhi Cabinet.
Urging colleges to maintain transparencies, Sisodia said that Delhi government does not have any record of the appointment of staff before 2010, but we are expected to pay the salaries of the teaching staff irrespective of that. “The colleges must take prior permission from the Delhi government before appointing the staff because the Delhi government is funding their salaries and expenses. If that does not happen, it will reflect as an impractical and unfair approach on the part of the Delhi University. Thirdly, the Governing Bodies serve as a bridge between the Delhi University and the Delhi government, we cannot demolish them. Their timeline should be extended as soon as possible. Fourthly, there have been delays in issuing the Utilisation Certificate (UC), which should be eliminated for the officials to function efficiently and release funds as soon as possible,” he added.