Opinion Nitish yatra protests show a dream gone sour
Given the massive unemployment,youths lined up for the shiksha mitra job,available next to their homes,despite the Rs 1,500 per month salary.
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When Nitish Kumar came to power in November 2005,he meticulously planned two caste-neutral constituencies women,by providing them 50 per cent reservation in panchayats and following it up with a bicycle scheme for girl students; and teachers,in the form of a shiksha mitra in every primary school to be hired from almost from every tenth household in the state.
Given the massive unemployment,youths lined up for the shiksha mitra job,available next to their homes,despite the Rs 1,500 per month salary. However,it didnt take long for the dream to sour on both ends as the Chief Minister is increasingly realising on his Adhikar Yatra.
Since he set out on September 19,Nitish has been facing protests with black flags and slippers at times. The shiksha mitras who have since graduated to becoming contract teachers at panchayat and block levels now want regularisation and salaries at par with regular teachers. Having already promoted them from shiksha mitra level and raising their pay to Rs 6,000,the Nitish government is reluctant. Over 69,500 primary schools now have 2.25 lakh teachers in this salary bracket the governments bill being Rs 135 crore a month for panchayat/blocks.
These teachers are also demanding salaries on time instead of once every three-five months.
While the protests have been building up for one and a half years now,it is only now that the teachers have got the chance to take these right up to the CMs doorstep. Nitish has accused the RJD of provoking the teachers.
However,the other arguments apart,a state that claims it isnt short of funds finds itself on a sticky wicket on this question: why cant the Education Department transfer salaries into teachers accounts every month?
The writer is a Special Correspondent based in Patna
santosh.singh@expressindia.com
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