DUTA Letter to Staff Associations reg. Teachers’ Welfare Fund: 14.5.2021

The President/Secretary/Office Bearers

Staff Association

_________________

_________________

14.5.2021

Dear colleagues,

As we mourn the loss of lives of near and dear ones, the loss of lives of a large number of DU employees, teaching and non-teaching, brings to us the responsibility to respond to the crisis collectively. In the past 45 days of the health crisis, colleagues have helped each other in finding medicines, plasma, oxygen cylinders, concentrators and beds in hospitals. Students also ran helpdesks to provide assistance to the best of their abilities. While the ‘system’ crashed, this community response provided lifesaving help and the comfort that we are facing the crisis together.

In this period, the DUTA has written several letters to the Vice Chancellor requesting immediate measures required to extend institutional help to students and employees.

In this second wave of the pandemic, we have lost a number of ad-hoc teachers. This has caused immense loss to families and has also created livelihood issues for them. We appreciate the Staff Associations for their immediate response and in providing financial help to families of those whom we have lost.

The DUTA had demanded that the provisions of TWF be extended to ad-hoc teachers and to use it to provide urgently some relief to families. Subsequently, meetings of the Managing Committee and Working Group, TWF were held. Please find enclosed the letter dated 10.5.2020 regarding Financial Assistance.

A financial assistance of Rs 5 lakhs for families/legal heir will be provided in the case of death of an ad-hoc teacher due to COVID on or after 1.3.2021. We request the Staff Associations to ensure that the Colleges file without delay requests for financial assistance.

Friends, this is an immediate relief which we have been able to get through our collective demand. It is, however, not enough.

The TWF was established through the AC Resolution (No. 262) dated 22.2.1975. Till date only permanent teachers could be subscribers. TWF remained largely dysfunctional for the past many years. Because of lack of awareness, many permanent teachers also did not become subscribers.

In the changed circumstances, where over 4500 teachers are working on ad-hoc basis for the past several years, we need to ensure that the membership is extended to temporary and ad-hoc teachers also.

Please find enclosed the proforma for financial assistance and some earlier documents regarding TWF.

In solidarity

Warm Regards