PANAJI: The state government is yet to disburse the first installment of the sixth pay arrears, out of the 60 per cent dues, to the teaching and non-teaching staff of non-government aided high schools of central education zone and north education zone due to non-availability of sufficient funds.

Also, the teachers of government aided schools have not been paid the second installment of the arrears due to the non-availability of sufficient funds.

However, the government has created confusion among the teachers over the income tax deductions as they claim that income tax has been deducted even though they are yet to receive the money.

The directorate of education has issued a circular to the schools of north and central education zones on June 10.

The government had issued a notification in 2008 that the government had sanctioned payment of balance 60 per cent of the arrears of pay as fixed under sixth pay commission pertaining to a period from January 1, 2006 to August 31, 2008.

Further, the government had stated that the arrears would be credited to the GPF account after adjusting the income tax applicable in two installments of 30 per cent each, which was to be credited in September 2009 and January 2010.

The amount was to be kept locked in for a period of three years, while for the new recruits under the new defined pension contribution scheme, the arrears were to be credited to that account and was to be shown separately in a slip issued to them, similarly, retired teachers’ accounts were to be settled by paying the arrears in cash.

Further, aggrieved teachers informed that the government came out with a circular on October 6, 2009 which was signed by the joint director of accounts of the directorate of education, Mr K V Anvekar that the income tax would be compounded on the total income that is the salary as well as the arrears credited in the financial year and the same would be deducted from the salary of the employees and it would be necessary for the teachers to produce a certificate to claim the second instalment of 30 per cent arrears which was to be credited in the month of January, 2010.

The aggrieved teachers informed that subsequently Mr Anvekar came out with another circular on January 19, 2010 that based on the availability of funds provided in the supplementary demand that a decision was taken to settle the claims of arrears of the VIth pay commission towards the 30 per cent of the first instalment only during the financial year of 2009-10.

Mr Anvekar had stated "the income tax would be assessed on the total salary received including the 40 per cent arrears credited along with the 30 per cent of the arrears to be received in this financial year. Necessary undertaking may be furnished along with the claim of 30 per cent that the tax so assessed on the above income will be recovered from the salaries after the actual credit of the 30 per cent to the respective GPF account or the same may be adjusted in the claim of the 30 per cent arrears along with the statement showing the tax to be recovered."

Further, Mr Anvekar had stated that the department would not entertain any claims of the 30 per cent arrears towards the first instalment of the Vith pay arrears during the next financial year of 2010-11.

However, the teachers were shocked after they received a circular on June 10 stating that due to non-availability of sufficient funds in the year 2009-2010, the 1st instalment of the VI pay arrears out of the 60 per cent could not be credited to the GPF account of the staff.

The teachers informed that this has created confusion in their minds as the feel they have been unduly taxed by the government while they have not got the arrears.

When the deputy director of education Mr Anil Powar was asked about the issue he said, "It is an internal matter of the education department and the press should not interfere in it.’’

He said that teachers have been promised that the arrears would be paid and the government has made a provision in the budget for the same. "We have not said we are not paying, but there is a shortage of funds hence the arrears have not been paid."

He said that in aided schools, the teaching and non-teaching staff have been given only 50 per cent of the second instalment again due to shortage of funds.

Further, he said even the officers have not got the arrears due to the financial condition of the government.