Non-payments of retirement benefits in Jharkhand

The media reported that retirement benefits and pensions of several retired teachers of various universities in Jharkhand have not been paid for long and the Jharkhand universities and University Grants Commission (UGC) appeared to be insensitive to the need of teachers in crisis.
The Commission has observed that the contents of the media report, if true, raise a serious issue of non-release of retirement and pensioner benefits impinging upon human rights to life, liberty, dignity and healthcare of retired professors of colleges in Jharkhand. Accordingly, it has issued notices to the Secretary, Union Ministry of Human Resource Development, Chairman, University Grants Commission, Secretary, Department of Health, Government of Jharkhand and Vice-Chancellor, Sidhu Kanho Murmu (SKM) University, Dumka, Jharkhand calling for factual reports.
According to the media report, Roopnarayan Falhari, a professor at Deoghar College, had retired in 2009. He was suffering from brain hemorrhage and got admitted to the Guru Nanak Hospital in Ranchi on the 12th December, 2015. Despite doctor's recommendation for better medical care, he could not be shifted elsewhere due to financial crisis. He eventually died on the 22nd December, 2015 at the age of 70 in penury, though, reportedly, his retirement arrears worth `20 lakh were pending with the SKM University.
Reportedly, several retired university teachers and their families are crying hoarse over the alleged apathy of the varsities and the University Grants Commission. Further, the Federation of University Teachers' Association of Jharkhand had claimed that at least ten retired professors in Jharkhand had died due to the lack of funds for better treatment. It has also been claimed that a number of retired professors were suffering from critical illness.