Chief Minister Raghubar Das on Thursday constituted a high level committee on Thursday to look into the demands of para teachers of the State. The high level committee is headed by HRD Minister Neera Yadav and the members include Development Commissioner DK Tiwari, Additional CS Finance, Sukhdeo Singh and School Education and Literacy department Secretary AP Singh.
“The committee would work towards formation of new rules for increasing the honorarium of para teachers, appointment of para teachers who have passes Jharkhand Teachers Eligibility Test and their other demands,” Das said.
The CM has also announced giving a financial support of Rs 1 lakh each to the families of those para teachers who recently lost their lives. “We have recently received reports of death of many para teachers. At present the support will be given from the discretionary funds. However, once the new rules are made, the families would be further given financial support from para teachers welfare funds,” Das said.
Appealing to the para teachers to return on work, CM said that the Government is serious about their demands and the welfare of para teachers will definitely be a priority.
However, the para teachers are not ready to withdraw their strike. State president of Ekakirit Para Shikshak Sangh, Sanjay Dubey said, “We have been demanding of being made permanent teachers and have a regular salary but the Government is talking about increasing the honorarium. We are not going to withdraw the strike unless our demands are met.”
Around 64,000 para teachers of the State have been on a strike since November 15, statehood day. The para teachers pelted stones during the statehood celebration programme, following which the police lathi-charged at them, leading to a huge agitation.