Lokmat News Network
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar
An indefinite hunger strike was recently launched by the Maharashtra State Ashram School Teachers and Non-Teaching Employees Association in front of the Regional Deputy Director’s office of the Other Backward Classes Welfare Department, pressing for various pending demands. After the agitation was taken up at the senior level, the Deputy Director gave a written assurance to fulfill the demands, the association informed.
The key demands included granting family pension to pending DCPS and NPS holders among ashram school teachers and staff, payment of arrears under the Seventh Pay Commission, approval of senior and selection grade benefits and medical reimbursements, and timely release of salary grants so that employees receive their salaries on the first day of every month. Despite the arrival of February, salaries for December 2025 have not yet been paid. It was also pointed out that without inspection of hostel superintendents residences, the Assistant Directors had stopped their house rent allowance and transport allowance. Similarly, allowances of hostel cooks, helpers and kamathis were stopped on the grounds that their residents should be within the hostel premises, even though there is no such provision in the Ashram school code. The hunger strike was launched in support of a total of 19 demands. After receiving written assurance that these issues would be resolved on priority, the protest was withdrawn. The agitation was supported by the Prahar Teacher’s Association and the Marathwada Teachers Association. Office bearers and members including Balaji Munde, Kisan Pund, Vijay Dhandeshwar, Rajkumar Kadam, Dhananjay Sanap, and Nivrutti Jadhav were present on the occasion.
Photo caption - Office bearers of the association sitting on a hunger strike to press for the demands of ashram school employees.