Berhampur: Gone are the days when teachers were deprived of their legitimate pension even years after retirement.
Hindi teacher of Utkal Vidyapith at Lathi in Kukudakhandi block in Ganjam district Durga Prasad Panda, who retired on June 30, received his final pension payment on the same day.
"We have streamlined a system to disburse the pension of teachers on the same day of his or her retirement. We have now started a special drive for payment of final pension and other benefits on the date of retirement," said district education officer Sanatan Panda.
Durga Prasad was given the final pension payment issued by the state's accountant general on the date of his retirement.
"I must thank the headmaster of Utkal Vidyapith and my office staff who took expeditious steps to set an example of giving pension on the date of retirement. I also have also asked all the block education officers concerned to take necessary steps and submit pension papers of the retiring employees well in advance to enable them payment of their final pension on the very day of retirement," Sanatan said.
Sanatan had earlier asked all the headmasters of the government and aided high schools to submit the pension proposals of the members of the teaching and non-teaching staff of their respective schools by November 30 last year. "I cautioned all headmasters and the clerks concerned not to release their monthly salary if they failed to submit the proposal by the deadline. I warned them after I came to know that some pension proposals were pending with the headmasters for years together," Sanatan said.
"I submitted the pension paper on April 10 and my headmaster forwarded it within three days on April 13. The district education officer forwarded the matter to the accountant general on May 8, who issued the FPP order on June 11. I can't believe the departments can work so fast," Durga Prasad said.
"We are also going to organise a district-level Pension adalat (court) on July 22 to settle all the pending pension cases," said Sanatan.