6 days ago
End of delays: Ahmedabad government school staff get full dues on retirement day itself
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Ahmedabad: For countless govt employees, the joy of retirement was often overshadowed by the anxiety of a long wait for their post-service benefits. However, in a pioneering initiative, govt school employees in Ahmedabad city, rural, and district panchayat areas are now receiving all their post-retirement benefits on the very day they retire, eliminating the long-standing delays of four to six months.
This significant shift was highlighted at a special retirement felicitation ceremony recently organised for teachers, principals, and administrative staff retiring in May. During the event, Ahmedabad City district education officer (DEO) Rohit Chaudhary announced that all 130 retiring employees were provided their full benefits, including general provident fund (GPF), gratuity, and pension payment order (PPO) numbers, on the same day.
These benefits typically require verification from trust boards and multiple layers of govt approvals, which often cause long delays.
Similarly, Krupa Jha, DEO of rural Ahmedabad, confirmed that 70 secondary and 45 primary school teachers in rural areas also received all their due benefits on their retirement day. This initiative allows employees to begin their pensions from the very next month without any hassle.
A GPF cheque is also handed over directly, freeing retirees from the burden of repeatedly visiting offices or navigating bureaucratic hurdles.
Teachers who attended the ceremony expressed profound gratitude, emphasising that such initiatives spare them the ordeal of travelling to Gandhinagar or navigating corrupt systems that previously resulted in months of delay and unnecessary mental stress. They urged that this progressive model be implemented across the state so that all retiring govt employees can leave service with dignity and peace of mind, having received the fruits of their dedicated years of service on time.
Neeta Shah, principal of Sheth Amulakh Vidyalaya in Ahmedabad, said, "Today, as I retire, a special ceremony was organised during which I received all my retirement benefits. This truly brings a sense of happiness to employees, as the retirement process usually takes a lot of time and involves running around to different offices."
Kiran Banker, teacher from Ghatlodiya School, said, "Receiving the GPF and pension order on the very day of retirement is a great joy.
These processes usually take a lot of time and effort. In the past, it would often take three to six months to complete everything."
Ramesh Patel, teacher from Bhavna Higher Secondary School, shared, "Today, I received my GPF cheque and, under the 'Last Pay' scheme, I was also allotted my PPO number. I will submit it to the treasury office, and my pension will begin from next month itself."
