Darjeeling: Finally there is good tidings for the teachers of Primary and Madhyamik schools under the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) as from now on there will be no long waits or visits to numerous offices for pension after retirement. From July 1, teachers retiring will get their pension processed online through the e-pension programme, followed by the EPF for Provident Fund.
“Time and again teachers and teachers’ organisations met with the GTA chief executive Anit Thapa with problems relating to pension and PF processing after retirements. They had to run from pillar to post, numerous offices for this. Teachers organisations, including the Hill Terai Primary Shiksha Sangathan, Sanyukta Madhyamik Shiksha Sangathan and GTA Headmasters Association met the GTA Chief and presented a number of memorandums. The GTA chief took up the matter in Kolkata, requesting a speedy resolution of the issue,” stated Rajesh Chauhan, member in-charge of Primary Education and Deputy Chairman of the GTA. On Monday, a 14-member team from the Directorate of Pension and Provident Fund, Kolkata conducted a ‘training-cum-pilot-programme of e-pension and EPF for school education employees under GTA,’ at the Gorkha Ranga Mancha in Darjeeling.
“AIs, SIs, DIs of schools from the GTA area along with teachers attended. From July 1 the e-pension will be in place. This will be followed by EPF. With e-office, e-pension and EPF the schools under GTA have started the online process. Now teachers will not have to run from one office to the other. They will receive all updates and status of the process on their registered mobile numbers,” added Chauhan.
On Monday, pension documents were handed over to a teacher from Maharani Girls High School and another from Kaijaley Junior Basic School. Both the teachers will retire on June 30. Their pensions have been processed through e-pension. There are 778 Primary schools and 141 Madhyamik schools under the GTA.