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Multi-cr burden on cards for J’khand exchequer?
The State exchequer in Jharkhand is all set to incur an additional multi-crore burden if the BJP-led Arjun Munda Government succumbs to the pressure of its coalition partners. Exercising populist-measures within and outside the State Assembly, the alliance partners of the ruling BJP have been mounting pressure on the Government to regularise the services of para-teachers that will lead to a huge expenditure.
If official dossiers are to be believed, the regularisation of services of para-teachers is estimated to put a burden on the State exchequer of about `2,600 crore per annum. Para-teachers who have been engaged for a certain period under the Central Government’s flagship scheme of Sarwa Siksha Abhiyan are demanding service benefits that are at par with regular teachers. Significantly, they have mustered the support of key non-BJP partners of the BJP-led coalition Government in the State to carry out their self-styled crusade.
Incidentally, the State HRD department has reasons to oppose the demand. Para-teachers are direct recruits under the central scheme and they did not have to face any qualifying test to join the profession like regular teachers. As per the provision, their services would stand terminated on the completion of the Central scheme.
The Finance department of the State Government has also pointed out that even if a hike of `1,000 per month is made to their present remuneration, the State exchequer will incur about `100 crore per annum. The Finance department has also turned down the proposal for a 10 per cent increment to the monthly remuneration of the para-teachers.
Unfazed by the ordeal the Government will face, the coalition partners of the BJP, AJSU and JMM have waged a virtual war against the HRD department held by Baijnath Ram of the BJP. Supporting the para-teachers demand, AJSU MLA Umakant Rajak has sought the resignation of Ram and alleged that the HRD Department was unable to deliver the goods as far as the issue of para-teachers was concerned. He said: “Ram is incompetent and cannot deliver the goods. The BJP should replace him with another competent person forthwith.”
Lending their voices to the demand of the para-teachers, JMM MLAs attended the proceedings of the house on Wednesday covering their mouths with black cloth in protest. JMM MLA Jagarnath Mahto has announced he would immolate himself if his demand in favour of the para-teachers is not met.
About 80,000 para-teachers have been appointed in the State under the Sarwa Siksha Abhiyan - a flagship scheme of the Union Government to achieve universalisation of elementary education in a time-bound manner. The scheme is being carried out across the country in cooperation with the State Governments to cater to the need of about 192 million children in 1.1 million habitations.
As such, the Jharkhand Government contends that like another flagship scheme of Adult Education Programme, if the SSA scheme is withdrawn by the Union Government too, who will bear the whopping cost of over `2.5000 crore yearly on the para-teachers’ services and for what purpose?
The State exchequer in Jharkhand is all set to incur an additional multi-crore burden if the BJP-led Arjun Munda Government succumbs to the pressure of its coalition partners. Exercising populist-measures within and outside the State Assembly, the alliance partners of the ruling BJP have been mounting pressure on the Government to regularise the services of para-teachers that will lead to a huge expenditure.
If official dossiers are to be believed, the regularisation of services of para-teachers is estimated to put a burden on the State exchequer of about `2,600 crore per annum. Para-teachers who have been engaged for a certain period under the Central Government’s flagship scheme of Sarwa Siksha Abhiyan are demanding service benefits that are at par with regular teachers. Significantly, they have mustered the support of key non-BJP partners of the BJP-led coalition Government in the State to carry out their self-styled crusade.
Incidentally, the State HRD department has reasons to oppose the demand. Para-teachers are direct recruits under the central scheme and they did not have to face any qualifying test to join the profession like regular teachers. As per the provision, their services would stand terminated on the completion of the Central scheme.
The Finance department of the State Government has also pointed out that even if a hike of `1,000 per month is made to their present remuneration, the State exchequer will incur about `100 crore per annum. The Finance department has also turned down the proposal for a 10 per cent increment to the monthly remuneration of the para-teachers.
Unfazed by the ordeal the Government will face, the coalition partners of the BJP, AJSU and JMM have waged a virtual war against the HRD department held by Baijnath Ram of the BJP. Supporting the para-teachers demand, AJSU MLA Umakant Rajak has sought the resignation of Ram and alleged that the HRD Department was unable to deliver the goods as far as the issue of para-teachers was concerned. He said: “Ram is incompetent and cannot deliver the goods. The BJP should replace him with another competent person forthwith.”
Lending their voices to the demand of the para-teachers, JMM MLAs attended the proceedings of the house on Wednesday covering their mouths with black cloth in protest. JMM MLA Jagarnath Mahto has announced he would immolate himself if his demand in favour of the para-teachers is not met.
About 80,000 para-teachers have been appointed in the State under the Sarwa Siksha Abhiyan - a flagship scheme of the Union Government to achieve universalisation of elementary education in a time-bound manner. The scheme is being carried out across the country in cooperation with the State Governments to cater to the need of about 192 million children in 1.1 million habitations.
As such, the Jharkhand Government contends that like another flagship scheme of Adult Education Programme, if the SSA scheme is withdrawn by the Union Government too, who will bear the whopping cost of over `2.5000 crore yearly on the para-teachers’ services and for what purpose?
