Palampur: Awaiting salaries, Himachal Pradesh Agriculture University employees hold dharna

Dharamsala, July 5

The non-teaching employees of CSK Himachal Pradesh Agriculture University, Palampur, today held a dharna at the main gate of the institution to protest against the delay in the release of their monthly salaries. Non-Teaching Staff Association president Rajiv Sharma and general secretary Rajinder Singh expressed their anger towards the Vice-Chancellor for not releasing the salaries of the university employees till July 5.

Sharma said that due to the laxity on the part of the Finance Controller, the grant-in-aid file was not sent to the government on time. Hence, the serving and retired employees of the university did not receive their salaries and pension on time.

Agriculture Minister Chander Kumar’s opinion that the university should generate its own income was not workable, the employees alleged. They said that the state government releases funds for government schools and colleges. “The state government has established universities on the same lines for higher education. It is the responsibility of the government to ensure that there is no dearth of funds for the university,” said Sharma.

He warned the university administration that the employees and the pensioners should be paid their salaries on the first day of every month or else they would start an agitation.