Bhubaneswar: Block grant teachers and lecturers took to streets again on Wednesday demanding fulfillment of their various demands, including abolition of the block grant system.
More than 50,000 teachers and employees of the School Teachers Federation of Odisha (STFO), 662 and 448-category college lecturers association took out a rally from Bhubaneswar Railway Station towards State Assembly under banner of Odisha School College Teachers and Employees Joint Forum but were stopped midway by police.
After that the teachers sat on a peaceful dharna on Lower PMG square. They said the protest will continue till fulfillment of their demands including abolition of the block grant system, equal salary for equal work, salary as per 7th pay commission recommendations, provision of full aid, government takeover of all aided schools amongst others.
Talking to OTV, President of 662-category College Lecturers Association Golak Nayak said, “I will apologise to students by mentioning the hunger of our teachers. What is the reason that a teacher is taking to streets, the government should fulfill our demands and restore the balance."
Convenor of STFO Prakash Chandra Mohanty said, "Nearly 60,000 teachers and employees have gathered together with their families and it is our ultimatum to the government today that it should bring reforms in the system or think about its future existence.”
Concerned school and colleges have been closed due to the agitation of the block grant teachers.
On the other hand School and Mass Education Minister Badri Narayan Patra said that the department is discussing on demands of the teachers.
"The teachers are agitating again on same demands but here question arises over the budget. It can be solved with a budgetary allocation so we will discuss with the teachers to fulfill some of their important demands," said Patra.
It was during the agitation that some teachers fell ill and they were admitted to Capital Hospital.
The agitating teachers and lecturers spent their night under the open sky at Lower PMG square. Police officials were also seen guarding them throughout the night.