Jamshedpur, Jan. 6: Teachers of government-aided primary minority schools heaved a sigh of relief with the state education department releasing Rs 3.12 crore today for payment of their outstanding salary dues.

More than 400 teachers of the district went without pay for more than a year. ”The news came as relief for the teaching fraternity who were living a hand to mouth existence for the last one year,” said K.K. Mishra, a teacher and president of the district Minority Primary School Teachers Association.

Sources in the state education department said the funds was released from the contingency fund.

Director of state primary education Ram Dubey said the funds will be sent to the district within a couple of days..

In November 2002, the teachers had staged a demonstration before the education department office in Ranchi.

Mishra said a circular has been sent to the district superintendent of education asking him to disburse the salary dues as soon as the funds reach the district administration. The circular also asked the district education department to provide a utilisation certificate.

Mishra said release of funds was delayed because the then district superintendent of education had failed to provide an utilisation certificate of how the money was used.