Delhi LG Saxena orders grant of MACP scheme to retired Education Dept officials

New Delhi (India), August 30 (ANI): Delhi Lieutenant Governor (L-G) VK Saxena ruled that the benefits of the Modified Assured Career Progression (MACP) Scheme must be given to retired officials of education department including principals, EOs, DEOs, and DDEs.
This decision will help government employees not belonging to organised services, as they would be entitled to draw salary in the higher grade pay from the date of implementation of the scheme, i.e., 01.09.2008, or their respective entitlement, whichever is later.
This decision by LG will also pave the way for the grant of financial benefits to similarly placed employees of other departments. Also, the LG has directed the Education Department to release the financial benefits to these retired officers, along with admissible arrears, immediately.
 
"Despite these retired officers being eligible for financial upgradation since 2008 and their eligibility being upheld by various courts and even the Supreme Court, these officers had to go through trauma and harassment all these years for no fault of their own due to the indifferent and inhuman attitude of the Education Department. With the decision of LG, they would be getting their due benefits pending for 15 years," read the statement by LG's office.
 
"LG, overruling a file in this regard submitted for his approval to move the Supreme Court against the petitioner government servants, observed that once it is settled and agreed to grant benefits of financial upgradation under MACP Scheme w.e.f. a certain date, it is against the principle of natural justice and the MACP Scheme guidelines that actual benefits are denied by refusing arrears admissible in law," it added.
 
The LG office further mentioned that in order to provide relief to government employees due to stagnation in their posts, the Government of India had brought the MACP Scheme effective in 2008, under which financial upgradations are granted to government employees after completion of ten, twenty, and thirty years of their service. "The benefits under the scheme are granted from the date an employee becomes eligible, and he is also eligible for arrears on the benefits in case of delays," the statement said.
 
It is also noted that financial upgradation under the MACP Scheme cannot be equated with the prospective benefits of regular promotion, as the benefits under the MACP Scheme are incentives in nature, and employees are entitled to the benefits from the date they become eligible or the date notified by the government for the implementation of the scheme, whichever is later.
 
The LG office further directed that the administrative department may accordingly change its SLP filed in the Supreme Court by limiting the same to the extent of the admissibility of interest on arrears only and not the arrears. (ANI)