BMW becomes priority over education of government: Thukral

Ferozepur, July 8, 2013: On the one hand, the Punjab Government is facing the financial crisis and when there is issue of giving wages to its employees then take the excuse of financial crisis in the state.  But on the other hand there is no cut in the expenditure on the ministers and MLAs and daily there is a new announcement of extending the facility putting a heavy burden on the exchequer of the state.

As per the sources, the Punjab Government has given a green signal for the purchase of two new BMW vehicles, the costliest one, for Rs.7 crores when they are already having luxury vehicles with them.

Recently, the Punjab Government has spent crores of rupees on renovation of civil secretariat and chambers of the ministers apart from purchase of new helicopter for Rs.47 crores.

But despite all this, the aided schools employees are not being paid their wages regularly and the only excuse with the government is that they do not have sufficient funds.

The district spokesman of Punjab Government Aided School and other Employees Union, Ajay Thakral speaking on phone to this correspondent said, “The primary teachers of aided schools have not been paid wages since April on account of non-release of quarterly grants to the teachers. The Education Department officers are consoling the employees with the stereotype reply that the grant will be released shortly”.

“It looks that the purchase of luxury vehicles have become priority of the government over education”, he added.

The most surprising is that in certain aided schools in Punjab, the primary wing teachers and employees have not been paid their wages since October last.

Thakral has appealed to the Punjab Government to immediately release the grant to the aided schools and it should be made a regular feature to release on time.