1700 regular Magadh University employees, 4300 pensioners get pay/pension hike

GAYA: A few days ahead of Holi, the state govt released revised salary/pension for Magadh University employees and pensioners. The average hike amounts to more than 20 pc of existing gross emoluments. Whereas the hike will be payable from March’2020 onwards, the govt also cleared arrear payment for the period April’2019-March 2020.
MU Registrar Sidnath Prasad Deen confirmed receipt of the official notification for the implementation of the revised pay/pension as per the recommendation of the seventh pay commission.Asked about the number of beneficiaries of the revised salary/pension, the Registrar said that about 1700 working staff including 500 teachers and 4300 pensioners/Family pensioners will get the revised salary/pension benefit.
Explaining the abnormally high number of pensioners, the Registrar said that besides the superannuated employees of the MU head quarters, 19 constituent and one govt funded minority college of the university, MU pension liability includes such superannuated employees of Pataliputra University, Patna and Vir Kuer Singh University, Ara who retired from service before March’2018 and September’1992 respectively. Both Pataliputra University, Patna and Vir Kuer Singh University Ara were carved out of undivided MU.
As per a letter issued by Arshad Firoz, Dy Secretary, Education Dept Rs 65 crores 61 lakhs 32 thousand and 132 (Rs 65,51,32,132) has been released for the payment of arrear salary/pension for the period April’2019 and Feb’220. The letter issued on 6 March’2020 is addressed to the Accountant General for the release of the said amount.
Hailing the govt order for the implementation of the revised scale and release of arrear for eleven months, Bharat Bhushan, Secretary of the Post Graduate Teachers Association said that this is for the first time that the revised scale has been released without resorting to any agitation.
In the past, the university employees had to resort to agitations including strike and dharna to get their due. The govt deserves all praise for this benevolence, said the Association Secretary. Such gestures add to the motivation level of the employees, he said.