Patna (ABN) A heated debate took place in the Bihar Legislative Council's budget session today regarding the rights of teachers. MLC Jeevan Kumar raised the issue of discrepancies in EPF (Provident Fund) and the salaries of lakhs of teachers in the state in a notice of calling attention. He directly questioned the working style of officials and termed it as economic exploitation of teachers. Jeevan Kumar made a sensational revelation in the House, saying that in several districts, EPF amounts are being deducted from teachers' salaries but not being deposited into their UAN (Universal Account Number) accounts. He particularly raised the issue of women teachers on maternity leave and said that withholding funds in the name of leave is not only administrative failure but also a violation of their human rights. He demanded that District Education Officers (DEOs) responsible for the negligence be identified and punished immediately. Amidst the opposition's tough stance, Education Minister Sunil Kumar admitted in the House that serious technical and administrative issues have arisen in several districts regarding EPF deposits. He assured the House that the department has created a new SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) that will ensure timely payment of salaries even during maternity leave. All discrepancies related to EPF will be completely resolved within the next month. DEOs of districts like Bettiah and Muzaffarpur, who showed negligence, will face strict action after investigation. The House did not seem satisfied with the government's response. Considering the gravity of the matter, the Chairman expressed dissatisfaction with the government's response and deferred the question. He strictly directed the government to conduct a detailed investigation into the entire matter and present a report to the House by the last week of the current session, outlining the action taken against the guilty officials. The heated debate in the House and the Chairman's strict directives have created a stir in the corridors of the Education Department. Teachers' organizations have welcomed Jeevan Kumar's initiative and hope that the EPF funds, which have been pending for years, will now be safely deposited into their accounts.