Meghalaya seeks exemption from PPP mode in Education sector
From Our Special Correspondent
New Delhi: Meghalaya Education Minister Dr RC Laloo on Thursday met Union Minister for Human Resources Development Kapil Sibal and urged him to delink the two issues of release of 80 per cent of the arrears for college teachers and the Centre’s demand for enhancement of the retirement age to 65 years.
While disagreeing with the Centre’s demand to increase the superannuation age, Dr Laloo said that might spark similar demands from other teachers as well.
Youth groups, which are quite active in the State would also object to this demand apprehending that it would stifle the scope of younger generations aspiring to become teachers in colleges and universities, he said.
Dr Laloo also intimated Sibal that the State Government has already paid some of its 20 per cent share of arrears a long time back.
Dr Laloo also urged the HRD Minister to exempt the State from the Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) mode in the Education sector as the private sector was reluctant to invest in the backward districts of the State. Referring to the proposed Polytechnics and Model Colleges for which funds have been released, Dr Laloo said that these can be viable if the Ministry supported recurring expenditure for the 12th Five-year Plan period at least.
Talking to The Shillong Times after his meeting with Sibal, Dr Laloo said that the HRD Minister has promised to look into Meghalaya’s demand but also mentioned that release of the funds is subject to fulfillment of the condition which has been fixed by the Centre.
It may be reminded that last year the Meghalaya College Teachers’ Association (MCTA) had held a series of agitation programmes including cease work, demanding among others immediate release of their pending arrears.
The State Government finally conceded to their demand and agreed to pay 20 per cent of the arrears, which was the State’s share while the remaining was to be borne by the Centre.
However, the HRD Ministry had already set a condition before the State Government that the 80 per cent funds for the arrears would be released only if the retirement age of college teachers is increased to 65 years. The State Government, at that time, had decided to urge the Centre not to link the retirement age with the payment of arrears.