PANAJI
After the circular clarifying that opening Axis Bank accounts is optional for schools and institutions, those who already opened new accounts with the private bank may continue to receive payments for its staff in their existing bank accounts.
A highly placed source revealed to The Goan that around 30 or slightly fewer schools and institutions opened accounts with the Axis Bank after the Education Department issued a circular on June 28 directing mandatory accounts with this bank.
“About 30 or less schools/institutions opened accounts with Axis Bank after the June 28 circular. However, they might not get staff salaries in the new bank accounts unless every school/institution is on board,” the source explained.
Unlike the system for government employees wherein salaries are credited directly into their accounts, the protocol for teaching and non-teaching staff is different. The source stated that the department releases grants to the Accounts Department, which then disburses funds to the respective school/institution management before reaching the staff.
“There were allegations that teachers were not being paid on time, one of the probable reasons that prompted the government to direct switching to new bank accounts,” the source said, clarifying that no final decision to credit funds in new accounts is made yet.
On Tuesday, the department released a circular stating that it is not mandatory for aided schools/institutions to open accounts with Axis Bank.
The earlier circular, dated June 28, had directed them to open salary accounts with Axis Bank as part of the ‘Mukhyamantri Guru Dakshina Yojna,’ an online salary disbursal scheme proposed by the Chief Minister.
The Opposition demanded the withdrawal of the order while questioning the government’s interest in promoting a specific private bank. A similar directive issued in April 2023, when the department decided to use an app developed by Axis Bank for salary transfers, had to be withdrawn in view of a similar opposition.
