AMU pensioners write to President

In an unprecedented scenario, the instructing and non-teaching workers members of Aligarh Muslim University have been paid solely half of their pension for the month of October. In a letter written to the President of India, the AMU Teachers’ Association stated, “Pensioners, which include non-teaching staff, have received just half the pension amount this month.”

To make the matter extra painful, outgoing AMUTA honorary secretary Najmul Islam stated, “No official communication has been issued and pensioners are shocked as the action has inflicted agony and hardship to them.”

The AMUTA requested the President for assist in releasing the deducted quantity.

The difficulty got here to mild after Aftab Alam, professor of Political Science and a member of the Executive Council of the University, wrote an open letter to his colleagues elevating the difficulty and saying it had solely compounded the woes of the retired workers in the course of the pandemic. “Many of them have not even been paid their full retiral benefits, such as encashment of leave, gratuity for last few years,” stated Prof Alam, including these within the non-teaching workers receiving household pension had been the worst affected.

He reminded that the delay within the fee of pension and different retiral advantages had been seen “by our courts with grave concern”.

Matter of status

It has additionally develop into a matter of status for AMU workers as a result of the State universities within the area, reminiscent of Bhimrao Ambedkar University and Chaudhary Charan Singh University, haven’t confronted any such difficulty but.

Distinguished professor Hamid Ali, who retired in November 2019, stated he was but to obtain retiral advantages. “I sent my daughter to study in Italy, but now I am finding it very hard.” The two-time former AMUTA president stated it was laborious to perceive the college’s priorities as, sarcastically, gates had been being constructed.

Mohd. Shahzad, who retired as assistant controller in 2019, stated the choice was “harsh and unimaginable” at a time when the aged are struggling to address the pandemic.

Describing the scenario as irritating and unlucky, Prof. Alam stated, “Every time I raise the issue, I have been told that the problem lies at the UGC level.”

Shafey Kidwai, college spokesperson, admitted the issues had been real. “This month there has been a cut of ₹17 crore in the salary bill. The Finance Officer and the Registrar have raised the issue with the UGC. We hope it will be resolved soon.”