Maharashtra Government Approves ₹5.41 Crore in Salary Arrears for K.M. Patil Deshmukh School Teachers in Nalasopara | Representational Image
Mumbai: The Government of Maharashtra on Thursday approved the disbursement of ₹5.41 crore in salary arrears and interest to employees of the K. M Patil Deshmukh School, Nalasopara (East), Thane district. This decision follows orders from the Bombay High Court and the Supreme Court, which directed the state to resolve long-pending dues owed to six assistant teachers at the institution.
The teachers had filed petitions in the Bombay High Court seeking payment of arrears from the academic year 2011-12. In its August 2023 ruling, the High Court instructed the state to pay the salaries along with 6% simple interest on arrears accrued between December 2012 and March 2016.
It also mandated the calculation and payment of pensionary benefits for eligible employees. The government, however, filed Special Leave Petitions in the Supreme Court challenging the High Court’s orders, arguing that the payouts conflicted with its grant policies and would strain its finances.
In May 2024, the Supreme Court upheld the High Court’s decision, directing the government to comply within three months and imposing a higher interest rate of 9% in case of delays. Following these directives, the state approved the education department’s proposal to release ₹4.96 crore in arrears and ₹44.72 lakh in interest, totalling ₹5.41 crore.
The funds will be drawn from the budget for secondary education and routed through the Zilla Parishad, Palghar, where the Education Officer has been designated as the controlling authority. The government has emphasised that this resolution is case-specific and cannot be used as a precedent for other disputes.
This development provides relief to the affected educators, who had served despite financial uncertainties. The payments are expected to be completed promptly, as the government has directed officials to submit a compliance report at the earliest.
