By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD), New Delhi, through some letters written to NEHU has once again objected to the payment of the Hills Area Special Allowance (HASA) to the University employees.
It may be recalled that in 2009-10, NEHU had faced lot of turmoil in view of the decision of the Executive Council to stop payment of HASA involving violation of an ordinance approved by the HRD Ministry and assented by the President of India, in the capacity of Visitor of NEHU.
In a statement issued here on Saturday, Professor SB Prasad of the Department of Zoology, NEHU, said that the HRD Ministry has directed the University Grants Commission (UGC) to withhold the amount of Rs 11.13 crore due to NEHU for 2013-14, while giving the reason that HASA is inadmissible as Special Dearness Allowance is being paid to the University employees.
Prof Prasad termed the HRD Ministry’s action as blackmail tactics to stop the legitimate payment of monetary incentive such as HASA to the employees of NEHU and also putting pressure to revoke the related ordinance.