Odisha govt orders salary cut of agitating teachers

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has asked the District Education Officers (DEOs) and Block Education Officers (BEOs) to ensure that the agitating teachers do not get the salary for the days they have remained absent in their respective schools.

School and Mass Education secretary PK Mohapatra issued a notification directing all DEOs and BEOs to deduct salaries of teachers for the days they remain absent without permission.

Mohapatra has directed them to take necessary steps to check attendance of all teachers/junior teachers/contractual teachers from September 6 and ensure that those who have remained absent without permission or proper ground do not get a salary for the days of absence.

“In case of contractual teachers, unauthorised absence could be treated as a reason for not renewing the annual contract due in March next year. The authorities may take action to disengage them after due procedure,” the notification read.

BEOs may make local arrangements for the smooth functioning of schools, said Mohapatra.

Notably, the agitating teachers under the Block Grant and All Odisha Primary Teachers Association have been staging protest since August 16 over their six-point charter of demands at the PMG square here.

They are demanding implementation of seventh pay commission recommendations and the new grant-in-aid system which was introduced by the state government in October last year.