Students unlikely to get books in time
Nearly 80 lakh students studying in various primary, upper primary and high schools across the State would be deprived of getting textbooks for the academic session 2014 as the employees of the Text Book Production and Marketing (TBPM) here threatened to resort to an indefinite agitation in front of the factory from Monday in protest against the State Government’s apathetic attitude towards their longstanding demands. Their strike would hamper production of textbooks, resulting in an acute shortage of the books.
“Former Chief Minister Biju Patnaik in 1962 had set up the Government Press with an aim to provide textbooks to school students at reasonable prices and at appropriate time. At that time, nearly 700 employees were working to prepare 25 lakh books. Now, only 310 employees are working to produce about three crore books,” said Text Book Press Mazdoor Sangha president Naba Kishore Mohanty here at a Press conference.
Coming down heavily on the Government for its move to publish books at private presses thereby facilitating black-marketing, Mohanty said that despite renovating its own existing press, the Government is spending crores of rupees in private presses. The Sangha has been demanding fulfilment of 305 regular posts lying vacant since many years, regular payment of monthly salaries, provision of provident Fund, ESI and casual leave and stopping of contractual appointments.