Mumbai University employees: Will we get our pension?

Over 200 employees of the University of Mumbai class 1 to class 4 returned home disappointed on Friday as their twoyear fight for retirement benefits went unanswered yet again Retired after 2015 the employees who served the University of Mumbai in various capacities for 3040 years alleged that they are being deprived of their rightful retirement benefits due to the lackadaisical attitude of bureaucrats the Higher and Technical Education department and the state governmentThe university has now begun ad hoc payment of R8000 for class IV R10000 for class II and III and R15000 for class I retired employees monthly from the university fund with the condition that this amount will be deducted from their monthly pension once it is releasedOver 200 university employees 94 retired and around a 100 close to retirement ndash are facing this issue According to some insiders a circular from the Higher and Technical Education department said that some university employees whose promotion was hampered despite serving between 12 to 24 years of service were entitled to an extra emolument over and above their monthly salary and were paid some arrears accordingly However the department claimed on December 18 2018 that the earlier circular was issued without the finance ministers approval and hence discarded it along with the benefits granted to employees These benefits are to be recovered from the beneficiariesAided institute staff denied benefitsOver 100 employees who worked across departments of the universitys institutes Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Garware Institute of Management Alkesh Dinesh Mody Institute of Management and Institute of Distance Education as administrative support staff were considered to be part of the aided section of the university and therefore were not entitled for any benefitsThis claim has however been rubbished by both the retired employees and the Mumbai Vidyapeeth Karmachari Sangh The union claimed that the administrative support staff were permanent employees of the university and they were never informed nor their consent was taken when they were sent to their respective institutes They werent told about their future prospects or retirement benefits eitherUnfair on usLadoba PingulkarLadoba Pingulkar 60 a Kandivli resident who retired as head of the election department of university retired in October 2018 got his first promotion after 25 years of serving the Mumbai University and was given extra emolument as arrears R45 lakh then but now the circular is discardedHe said I am yet to get my gratuity and the pension has not started either My two children are still studying and I am only getting the ad hoc payment of R10000 from the university fund All of this is so unfairThe Vice Chancellor has informed the aggrieved employees that the matter is pending before the Higher and Technical Education Department and the MantralayaCircular after my retirementSweta VaidyaSweta Vaidya 59 who worked as a head clerk at the Exam House Kalina retired in September 2018My two children are still pursuing their education and I also have to look after my 95yearold motherinlaw Our house runs merely on the pension that my husband Sandeep a former Mantralaya official gets of around R25000 and some savings Vaidya said adding that she has got her provident fund but not yet released her gratuity and or pension The reason they cited is that they are yet to recover funds from those employees who benefited from the Higher and Technical Education department circular I had got those benefits too she addedHowever Vaidya added that she retired before the circular was discarded and therefore it is unfair to bring us under the ambit of the discarded circular issued three months after my retirement The government she said must release our gratuity and pension instead of merely giving promisesCant lose my prideSandhya SherkhaneAnother employee Sandhya Sherkhane 55 exam superintendent opted for the voluntary retirement scheme in March 2019 I served for 34 years and now when I am unwell and in dire need of financial assistance I am being made to run from pillar to post The retirement benefits and pension are supposed to be the life savings for elderly people but if we are deprived of them now when will the authorities clear our dues After our demise an emotional Sherkhane said adding that she has been battling depression apart from being a diabetic and facing multiple health issues I have always lived a financially independent life and cannot imagine losing that pride We live in my husbands office quarters for now and do not own a house in Mumbai Around R40 lakh of ours are stuck in a Jogeshwari housing project My husband barely has a little more than a year to retire after which I dont know where we will go said Sherkhane who was sent to Garware institute for four months by the universityWorking hard to resolveA member of the Mumbai Vidyapeeth Karmachari Sangh told midday that a protest was called on Saturday February 8 against the issue But the vicechancellor requested us to postpone it and give him some time to resolve A decision is expected in the cabinet meeting on Wednesday February 12 we were told he saidDr Ajay Deshmukh Registrar at Mumbai University said that the administration was very much concerned about the hardships faced by our retired colleagues He said We are working hard to resolve this issue and have prepared a roaster of all the employees which will be accepted and verified by the competent authority at Konkan BhavanDecember 18 2018Day the that the earlier Higher and Technical Education circular was discardedFebruary 12Day the VC has promised development in the matter at the cabinet meetingRs 8000Ad hoc payment university is releasing for class IV retired employeesRs 10000Ad hoc payment university is releasing for class II and III retired employeesRs 15000Ad hoc payment university is releasing for class I retired employeesCatch up on all the latest Crime National 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