Staff Reporter

ITANAGAR : The Arunachal Pradesh Teacher Educators Association (APTEA) on Tuesday appealed to the Arunachal Pradesh Government to ensure regular salary disbursement for employees of District Institutes of Education and Training (DIETs) through the state head under the state budget.

The association also warned of an indefinite pen-down strike if the issue remains unresolved.

Addressing a press conference at the Arunachal Press Club here, APTEA president Tayon Dai said employees of the 11 DIETs in the state have been facing irregularities in salary disbursement since 2019 despite being regular state government employees.

“The issue started after the salary disbursement system for DIET employees was shifted from the state head to the PMMS mode,” Dai said.

He informed that the association has been repeatedly submitting representations to the authorities concerned since 2021 seeking regular and timely release of salaries for DIET employees.

“Despite repeated assurances from the government, the issue remains unresolved,” he alleged.

Dai further claimed that, according to reliable sources, DIET employees may not receive salaries for April, May, June and July this year.

Expressing concern over the situation, the association announced a series of democratic agitations under the theme “No Pay, No Work” in protest against the delay in salary disbursement.

As part of the first phase of the agitation, APTEA will observe a one-day pen-down strike on May 29, followed by a two-day pen-down strike on June 4 and 5.

The association warned that it would launch an indefinite pen-down strike from June 15 if the state government fails to resolve the issue.