What New Scheme Did Mamata Banerjee Announce for Job-Losing Non-Teaching Staff?

Synopsis
In a crucial move for educational staff, West Bengal's Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced a new stipend scheme for non-teaching personnel affected by recent job losses. This support aims to provide financial relief amidst legal challenges, ensuring that those impacted receive necessary assistance.
Key Takeaways
- Mamata Banerjee announced a stipend scheme for job-losing school staff.
- Group-C staff will receive Rs 25,000; Group-D staff will get Rs 20,000.
- The scheme aims to avoid legal complications.
- The payments will begin on April 1, 2025.
- 25,753 school jobs were recently cancelled by the Supreme Court.
Kolkata, May 14 (NationPress) - In a significant development, West Bengal's Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee revealed a new initiative aimed at assisting non-teaching personnel in state-run schools who have faced job losses due to a recent Supreme Court ruling. This program will provide a monthly stipend sourced from the state treasury for those impacted in the Group-C and Group-D categories.
The “West Bengal Livelihood and Special Security Interim Scheme” received approval during a state cabinet meeting on Wednesday. Under this initiative, the Group-C non-teaching staff will qualify for a monthly allowance of Rs 25,000, while their Group-D counterparts will receive Rs 20,000 each month.
In her announcement, the Chief Minister emphasized that this stipend aims to circumvent potential legal issues linked to payments from the state funds.
“There are individuals who frequently file public interest litigations against the state government over various matters. Therefore, this new scheme has been established, and it will operate under the supervision of the state labour department,” Mamata Banerjee stated.
She further indicated that the stipend will be effective from April 1, 2025, and will persist until a resolution regarding the legal challenges related to the job losses is established.
The Supreme Court had upheld a prior ruling from the Calcutta High Court on April 3, resulting in the cancellation of 25,753 school positions in West Bengal.
The apex court acknowledged the Calcutta High Court's assertion that the entire panel of 25,753 candidates had to be annulled due to the state government's and the West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) failure to distinguish between the “untainted” and “tainted” candidates.
Review petitions have already been submitted by the state government and WBSSC concerning this matter.