The retired non-teaching staff of Mumbai University (MU) have complained that even as their pension is yet to be revised,they are also being denied their monthly pension at the old rate for three years now. Dilip Karande,a senior senator of MU and member of the management council has written to the MU Vice-Chancellor (V-C) asking him to intervene in the matter. Karande said,I feel this is a sorry state of affairs and I urge the V-C to take up the issue with the state government. I have discussed the matter at the senate meeting thrice. However,no action was taken. Now i have written to the V-C requesting him to bring up the matter for discussion at the management council meeting in the presence of government officials. Ashok Rane,one of the retired non-teaching staff said,I have worked in MU for 35 years and retired as acting deputy registrar in 2009. We have been following up this issue with the university since 2009,but not a single official is cooperating with us. It is just our hard-earned money we are asking for. When we write to the university,they dont bother to reply. These senior citizens have been running from pillar to post at the Mumbai University and the office of Deputy Director of higher education. For three years now,we have been meeting all the officials from the deputy director to the in charge at the MU and we have also met the education minister and governor. However all we have got till now is just assurances,our problem is still unresolved, said another pensioner. Dilip Karande said,These people queue up every day in the university for the pension. While senior non-teaching staff still are in a position to fight for themselves,the class IV employees are the worst hit as they dont have enough money to meet their basic needs. The present staffers are now threatening to go on strike if the matter is not resolved. A member of the non-teaching staff said,The matter was discussed at the university several times but the MU authorities don't seem to be concerned about it. We have not decided anything yet but if the matter is not resolved,we will call for a strike. Tomorrow,even we may have to face such problems. MU Vice-Chancellor Dr Rajan Welukar was unavailable for comment.
