Inter-ministerial panel meeting today to discuss issues of block grant college teachers

Bhubaneswar: An inter-ministerial committee meeting under chairmanship of Odisha Finance Minister Pradip Amat will be held today to resolve issues of non-government and aided college teachers of 488 and 662 categories.

Sources said Higher Education minister Pradip Panigrahi, Energy Minister Pranab Prakash Das and Law Minister Arun Sahoo are scheduled to attend the meeting. Besides, Development Commissioner, Higher Education Secretary and Director will be present during the discussion.

The 488 and 662 categories college teachers are demanding abolishment of block grant and implementation of full grant system.

Pabitra Mahala, president of 488 Category College Teachers’ Association, said, “We expect, as per the earlier discussion with the government, the committee will decide on our demand regarding implementation of full grant in today’s inter-ministerial committee meeting.”

Notably, the 488 and 662 categories college teachers had struck work and were not cooperating with Plus II evaluation process demanding full grant on basis of qualifications. However, after a closed-door meeting with the Higher Education minister and Energy minister Pranab Prakash Das, the teachers’ association had decided to join the evaluation process.