HC direction on pension

SNS, Kolkata, 16 July: A Special Bench of Mr Arun Mishra, Chief Justice, Mr Justice Dipankar Dutta and Mr Justice Joymalya Bagchi of Calcutta High Court today directed the state government to start the pension of some teachers and non-teaching staff of government-sponsored schools within six months. 

The petitioners who were not being given pension were directed to apply for it in the next two months while they were further directed to return to the government with interest the amount of contributory provident fund which had not been deducted. 

Pension was not being paid to these teachers and non-teaching staff as the government in an apparent act of oversight did not deduct its share of contributory provident fund. Earlier, these teachers and non-teaching staff had opted for higher pay scale when they were asked to choose to between such pay scale and retirement at the age of 60 or continue to be in service till the age of 65. 

"By issuing different circulars, the school education department have deprived the teachers of their pension" Mr Bikas Ranjan Bhattacharya and Mr Shaktipada Jana submitted appearing for the petitioners.