Tribal staff demand conversion of VTCs into ITIs

(TIMES OF INDIA OCT 30 2013 NEWS) Nashik: The teaching and non-teaching staff of Vocational Training Centres (VTCs) under the Tribal Development Department of the state government agitated in front of the Tribal Development Commissionerate, Nashik on Tuesday Oct 30 2013 demanding conversion of the VTCs into Industrial Training Institutes (ITI), their payments and stipends for the students from March 2013. "The teaching and non-teaching staff has not got their payments since March 2013 till date neither was the stipend paid to the tribal students during the period," Madhukar Gaydhar, the Kendrapramukh at one of the VTC, agitating in front of the commissionerate, said. The TDD has in all 15 VTC in the state with the strength of one hundred students each and eleven teaching and non-teaching staff. Agitating under the banner of VTC Karmachari Sanghatana affiliated to Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), the teachers presented their memoranda to the officials several times before drawing their attention towards the non-receipt of their payments who have been appointed on contract basis and at the same time non-payment of the stipend to the students. "We were asked to wait for a month - after every dialogue and we were waiting till now. It is high time that the authorities only promise and do not deliver," Gaydhar said. The employees are also demanding that the VTC be converted into ITI and also assimilate the staff into the fold as was announced by the government through its GR dated May 5 , 2011 and May 27, 2011. "We are only asking for the implementation of the GR that was announced in the year 2011. This will also help the students get the certificates of the ITI that will fetch them employment opportunities, increase the stipend and salary to the teachers," Sanjay Chaudhari another teacher, said There are 165 teacher and non-teachers in the 15 VTC of the department and all of them recruited on contract basis in the year 1997-98, the teachers added. Click Here