NAMCHI, 02 Dec: In a situation which defies any explanation other than a distressing disinterest, the State’s only school for the visually challenged, the Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Institute (Blind School) at Boomtar, Namchi, is now limping through its fifth month without having received any funds from the agencies responsible for its upkeep. The Blind School’s staff of 14, none of whom have received salaries since August, have been working with the goodwill of shops and supplies for the past five months to keep institute in operation for the 38 residential students housed here. They admit that they will not be able to sustain this arrangement for much longer.
While speaking to media-persons here today, the JNMI staff informed that earlier, the institute was receiving financial support from the National Association for the Blind (NAB) and that on 08 October, following an MoU signed between NAB and the State Government, the institute was handed over to the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment.
“Our salaries range from Rs. 2,400 to Rs. 7,000 which in fact much lower than the salary of a muster roll employee. Even we have families to look after apart from the responsibility of students at the institute,” the staff members shared. Needless to add, although a line of credit has allowed them to keep the institute operational for its 38 residential students, the quality of provisions has suffered.
The mood was upbeat at the institute some months back when an interaction with the Chief Minister, who had come visiting, had gone very well. On being so petitioned, the CM had assured to regularise the services of the 14 staff members at JNMI. The proposal was passed by the Cabinet and the posts created and notification issued. But when it came to the Department to process the regularization, matters dragged to such an extent that even the required funding was held up, the staff members contend.
They blame the department for all their present woes and wonder how clear directions of the CM were being sidestepped by officials.
They inform that out of 8 non-teaching staff, two were called for Viva on 24 July 2013 and later they were called for a written examination which was also taken by seven other candidates not thus far related to JNMI. This came as a shock to the staff at JNMI who have been working there for the past 25 to 27 years and when they asked the concerned official at the Department, they were told that this was an open interview and that only merit would be a criteria.
Tuesday, 03 December is World Disabled Day, an apt day to revisit the situation at JNMI and deliberate whether things can be salvaged to everyone’s benefit there.
While speaking to media-persons here today, the JNMI staff informed that earlier, the institute was receiving financial support from the National Association for the Blind (NAB) and that on 08 October, following an MoU signed between NAB and the State Government, the institute was handed over to the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment.
“Our salaries range from Rs. 2,400 to Rs. 7,000 which in fact much lower than the salary of a muster roll employee. Even we have families to look after apart from the responsibility of students at the institute,” the staff members shared. Needless to add, although a line of credit has allowed them to keep the institute operational for its 38 residential students, the quality of provisions has suffered.
The mood was upbeat at the institute some months back when an interaction with the Chief Minister, who had come visiting, had gone very well. On being so petitioned, the CM had assured to regularise the services of the 14 staff members at JNMI. The proposal was passed by the Cabinet and the posts created and notification issued. But when it came to the Department to process the regularization, matters dragged to such an extent that even the required funding was held up, the staff members contend.
They blame the department for all their present woes and wonder how clear directions of the CM were being sidestepped by officials.
They inform that out of 8 non-teaching staff, two were called for Viva on 24 July 2013 and later they were called for a written examination which was also taken by seven other candidates not thus far related to JNMI. This came as a shock to the staff at JNMI who have been working there for the past 25 to 27 years and when they asked the concerned official at the Department, they were told that this was an open interview and that only merit would be a criteria.
Tuesday, 03 December is World Disabled Day, an apt day to revisit the situation at JNMI and deliberate whether things can be salvaged to everyone’s benefit there.
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