Reportedly, around 17 employees of the university who lived with their spouses in government housing, received HRA, which is against the government’s rules.
Shreemati Nathibai Damodar Thackersey (SNDT) Women’s University has been flouting the government resolution (GR) on house rent allowance for nearly 23 years. Reportedly, around 17 employees of the university who lived with their spouses in government housing, received HRA, which is against the government’s rules.
Social activist Prakash Rajdeo, in a press conference, said that he will be filing a public interest litigation in the Bombay HC against certain staff members of the university for “cheating” the authorities.
“I have been complaining to the authorities concerned, including governor K Sankaranarayanan, for the past four years, but my complaints have fallen on deaf ears,” Rajdeo said.
A GR issued in 1988 states that those employees whose spouses have been allotted government accommodation are not entitled to receive HRA from their workplace, which is also a government concern. However, in violation of this, it was found that 17 such employees from SNDT university continued to receive this allowance until the university finally started implementing the GR in 2011.
“The university adopted the 1988 GR regarding HRA back when it was framed, but it was not implemented, which means HRA was not cut from any employee’s salary, until 2011,” said Dr S Kumudhavalli, the registrar of SNDT university.
He added, “No staff member has cheated the university with respect to HRA. Most universities/colleges in Maharashtra do not cut HRA from the salaries of staff members who stay in government quarters.”
However, Kumudhavalli added that the issue came to the attention of the university only last year. “We do not know the reason behind the delay, but as soon as we noticed it, we started implementing the GR. Now, we cut HRA from the salaries of the 17 employees. Since last year, we have started collecting information for every employee.”
Rajdeo has also alleged that two staff members appointed in Jankidevi Bajaj Institute of Management Studies, SNDT university, are not qualified enough, one being TJ Mathew, who was appointed as in-charge director and professor at JBIMS. Kumudhavalli defended him, saying, “Dr Mathew has been appointed based on his qualifications and procedures approved by the university and the All India Council of Technical Education.”
Rajdeo claimed that even Ashok Putran, the administrative officer, does not have any qualifications besides SSC. However, the university stated that Puthran is not the administrative officer, but an accounts clerk.
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