Minister hints at abolition of block grant system

Bhubaneswar: School and Mass Education Minister Badri Narayan Patra on Thursday assured the agitating lecturers and teachers that the government will concede to their longstanding demand for abolition of block grant system.
He said discussions with block grant teachers in this regard are in the final stage and a decision will soon be taken.
“The state government is aware of the urgency of the situation. Block grant system will be abolished and replaced with grant-in-aid,” Patra told mediapersons here.
The Minister, however, did not give any clarification on whether the block grant teachers will be able to avail the benefits of the recently implemented 7th Pay Commission recommendation in the state.
The teachers have been demonstrating at Lower PMG Square here for the past 16 days. They are demanding equal pay for equal work and same service conditions as applicable to government employees.