May hit normal functioning of institutions

Though Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik looks determined to fulfil his poll promises and has directed his colleagues and top officials to work in tandem so that the people of the State do not feel to have been shown the moon without any tangible action on ground, here are thousands of teachers and staff members in the 662 Block Grant colleges who are now going without salary for nearly the last six months. Notably, the Government had released a notification to provide them with 100 per cent Block Grant just before the general elections.

As per the Government Order (GO), the salary is effective from January last, but since there was no specific allocation in the Vote on Account last time, it was supposed that the salary will be released after the general Budget.

However, the general Budget has already been presented, but there is no sign of the salary yet. Now, the colleges have opened up but the staff members without salary are lacking any interest to work. While a widespread resentment among the employees is palpable, it is apprehended that the normal functioning of the institutions may be affected due to it, said sources.

“The Government has a clear-cut schedule on the academic performance of the schools and colleges in the State, but while coming to the salary part, it has no schedule. Monthly payment to teachers, especially in block grant institutions, is a daydream these days, but then, what is more disheartening is there is no certainty as to when the salary gets released. It just depends on the whim and caprice of the authorities. This impairs the very spirit to work among the employees,” said a few disgruntled teachers.

“The Block Grant system is something the whole teacher community is opposed to. For the last several years the teachers irrespective of whether they are in schools or colleges have been demanding for scrapping of the system and its conversion into regular Grant-In–Aid (GIA). But the Government has paid no heed to it and is just continuing with the system against a groundswell of anger and frustration among the teachers. The Block Grant system perpetrates discrimination, exploitation, disrespect and amounts to breach of basic human as well as Constitutional rights of the employees and hence, needs to be done away with,” opined a few teacher leaders here.