Ludhiana: Teachers in distress over delay in salary for 2 months
Dharamjeet Singh Dhillon, finance secretary of the Lecturer Cadre Union, said that teachers are under immense financial and mental stress; the stalled salary payments have left many struggling to meet daily expenses
Several government school teachers are facing severe financial hardship as they have not received their salaries for the past two months. The delay, which has persisted since February, has sparked widespread frustration, with educators demanding immediate intervention from the authorities.
Dharamjeet Singh Dhillon, finance secretary of the Lecturer Cadre Union, has strongly criticised the government for its inaction. “Teachers are under immense financial and mental stress. The stalled salary payments have left many struggling to meet daily expenses. We urge the state’s finance and education departments to release the pending salaries immediately,” he said.
The crisis has deepened as general provident fund (GPF) payments have also been put on hold. Many teachers, who had planned to withdraw their savings for upcoming family weddings, are now left scrambling for funds. “Without access to their own savings, teachers are finding it impossible to manage important expenses,” Dhillon added.
Teachers say this is not the first time they have faced such difficulties. “Last year, school grants were affected, and now, salaries have been stalled for months. This is nothing but harassment,” said Dhillon.
Daljit Singh Samrala, district president of the Democratic Teachers Front (DTF), echoed similar concerns. “Teachers are unable to support their families or even file their taxes due to this delay. Many have loan payments due, and this uncertainty is making things worse,” he said.
With the wedding and festival season underway, many teachers are struggling to make ends meet. “We plan our expenses according to our salaries, but this unexpected delay has left us in serious financial trouble,” said a government senior secondary school teacher.
Meanwhile, district education officer (secondary) Dimple Madaan assured that the issue would be resolved soon. “As per the information available with me, the salaries will be released soon,” she stated.
However, teachers remain skeptical and demand immediate action to prevent further distress.