Tuesday, 23 August 2011

Cong, BJP members raise teachers strike issue in Assembly

Orissa Assembly was today repeatedly adjourned amid pandemonium with opposition Congress and BJP members vociferously demanding that the state government fulfil the demands of the striking teachers.

The issue was raised in the assembly through an adjournment motion with members cutting across party lines expressing their concern over the closure of schools leading to disruption of studies of above 3.8 lakh students.

The teachers who were being given block grants have been demanding grant-in-aid (GIA) according to the recommendation of the Sixth pay commission.

Hundreds of teachers had been agitating in front of the assembly and many of them were on fast.

With as many as 66 fasting teachers being shifted to hospital for treatment from the dharne site at Mahatma Gandhi Marg here, the opposition raised the issue asking the government to fulfill their demands as assured earlier.

The state government in November last year had given a written assurance to teachers that their demands would be fulfiled within six months, pointed out Congress chief whip Prasad Harichandan.

While replying to the debate, school and mass education minister Pratap Jena assured the House that the government was considering the demands made by teachers.

"We have been waiting for the report from the high-level committee on the matter of giving GIA to teachers," the minister said.

While rejecting the adjournment motion, Speaker Pradip Kumar Amat directed the state government to find out a solution to solve the teachers problems and ensure opening of schools.

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