To be or not to be. This Hamletian complex seems to have haunted the BJD Government so far as repealing the Block Grant is concerned.
Enough of assurances have been given. Now that it has to take a decision once and for all, since not just the teachers are eagerly waiting for it but the whole State is watchful of the development.
But the main hurdle is the State coffers which are not sound enough to meet the financial expenses should Block Grant be replaced with full Grant-in-Aid (GIA)—the sole demand of thousands of teachers in schools and colleges across the State.
Beleaguered as it is due to the allegation of corruption against his Government and especially its Minister Sanjaya Dasburma getting entangled in the chit fund scam, the Naveen Patnaik Government is facing a veritable acid test these days.
Meanwhile, the inter-Ministerial panels for colleges and schools have held meetings but have failed to take a final call on the regularization of job of the Block Grant teachers. While the panel for colleges has taken a week’s time, the one for the school has also yet to announce its decision.
Sources confided that in all likelihood, the Government can decide for a hike by 30-40 per cent of the Block Grant rather than replace it with GIA.
Whether this would satisfy the Block Grant teachers is a million dollar question. Already the 662 and 488 college teachers’ bodies have warned of intensifying their agitation in coming days if the Government did not implement the GIA. The school teachers could also follow suit.
The Government can escape the teachers by announcing its unacceptable decision after the Assembly session is over. By that time also the evaluation of papers would have been over and it would not pose a problem to announce the Plus II result. But how long will it escape as various teachers’ bodies are getting increasingly unitedIJ Besides, a strong anti-Block Grant wave is building up across the State.
“If finance is a problem to implement GIA for all, what stops the Government to extend the GIA to the teachers in order of seniorityIJ The last GIA Policy was made in 1994 which covered employees appointed till 1989. Instead of completely break away with the GIA system, the Government can extend it to cover employees for a few more years,” said retired principal SN Mohanty here. He added that the Government can also go for a special education cess to raise funds from schools and colleges so that it can meet the salary expenses of the teachers.
Another educationist said the Government must delink politics from grant. “The problem to implement GIA is not with financial constraints, but with the Government seeking to appease the largest number of beneficiaries. As a result, it fails to implement a fair and legitimate salary,” he said.