Recovery of excess pay: Panjab University board to take up issue

The issue of excessive component pay to Panjab University (PU) non-teaching staff will be tabled once again at the meeting of board of finance scheduled for August 1. The university had paid ₹8.72 crore extra to its non-teaching staff as secretariat pay as against the pay scale revisions by Punjab government.

The issue was also placed before the finance board in its meeting held on August 1, 2016, wherein it was unanimously resolved that the university should again send a reply to the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) with all supporting documents to settle the issue. Till then, the status quo was to be maintained.

Pay scale issue

The non-teaching staff at PU were getting higher pay scales as against Punjab government pay scales. For example, clerks were getting Rs 120-300 as against Rs 110-200; peons were getting Rs 70-100 as against Rs 70-95; and assistants/stenographers were getting Rs 250-425 as against Rs 200-450. The mismatch led to PU paying Rs 8.72 crore extra to its non-teaching staff.

However, in the light of revision of scales of pay by the Punjab government for its employees wef January 1, 1978, on the recommendations of the Pay Commission, it was felt that for future entrants in the categories of clerks, assistants and superintendents etc, the university should follow the grades as adopted by the Punjab government for its employees.

In finance board meetings

In the last board of finance meeting, held in February 2017, it was decided that fresh instructions be sought from government of Punjab regarding continuance of secretariat pay to non-teaching employees of Panjab University and it was further decided that the university shall take necessary action as per the advice of Punjab government.

The Punjab government, on July 6, 2017, had forwarded the copies of various notifications regarding the pay scale revisions. However, the specific query which was requested as per the decision of board of finance was not received. On July 17, 2017, PU had once again written to Punjab government to give instructions regarding the continuance of secretariat pay to non-teaching employees of Panjab University.

The matter was examined by the internal audit bureau of Pay Commission, which observed that the allowances under secretariat pay to Punjab government employees posted in the secretariat cannot be paid to PU employees. The bureau also observed that the bodies of the university can also not allow such allowances or pay without the prior approval of the funding body, ie Government of India.

The university was asked to comply with the observation made and take action to recover the excess payment. PU was also asked to send a compliance report of the recovery made within a month from the date of issue of the letter.

To this, PU had replied, “It is understood that the Principal Director of Audit (Central), Chandigarh, has examined the entire issue and forwarded its recommendations to its headquarter CAG, New Delhi, to take a final view on the issue. The final reply of CAG is awaited.” PU had submitted that as and when the final decision of the Principal Director of Audit (Central), Chandigarh will arrive, it willl take necessary action accordingly with due intimation.