Pointing at grave irregularity in the State education department, members of Chattisgarh Union of School Cleanliness Workers on Tuesday said that more than 70,000 workers in government schools all across the state have not received their salaries varying from eight to 18 months.
My counterparts in all the 27 districts have not received their salaries since eight months. In some schools, cleanliness workers are working without pay for one-and-a-half year now. We are nearing starvation now,” said President of the union Jagganath Mahilang in a press conference in the city on Tuesday. The cleanliness workers also complained that they have not been given any letter of appointment from the collectorate.
They also said that salaries of workers differ from district to district. Calling it a political gimmick to woo voters, a member of the union said that school cleanliness workers in Chief Minister Raman Singh’s home turf Rajnandgaon are working for Rs 2,472 while workers in Balodabazaar are entitled for Rs 1,037 monthly. Vice President of the Union Rajeshwari Shivare said the cleanliness workers are made to work from 9 am to 5 pm but are registered for providing only four hours of services.
“If the government is making us full time, we demand for a full-time salary,” she said. Mahilang said even after apprising district collectors, education officers and Chief Minister several times, their salaries have not released. Despite several attempts, officials in the collectorate and education department were not available for any comments.