Ranchi, July 13: The Centre is contemplating to offer incentives to teachers and other education officials posted in 35 Left Wing Extremism (LWE)-hit districts in nine states.
The incentives will be in the form of approximately 20 per cent hike in the basic pay structure, the director of the Union HRD ministry (bureau of elementary education), P.K. Tiwary, said at a two-day workshop-cum-review meeting on LWE districts. Tiwary was the main resource person at the workshop hosted by the Union ministry. It concluded today.
Out of the total 35 LWE-affected districts on the Centre’s list, as many as 11 are in Jharkhand followed by seven in Chhattisgarh, six in Bihar, five in Orissa, two in Maharashtra and one each in Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Bengal.
“The HRD officials told us that the teachers and other education department officials who are posted in Naxalite areas will get a handsome incentive in near future. The proposal is under consideration,” said Gumla district superintendent of education-cum-district programme co-ordinator of Sarva Siksha Abhiyan Jayant Kumar Mishra.
The LWE-affected districts of Jharkhand are Bokaro, Chatra, Garhwa, Gumla, Hazaribagh, Latehar, Lohardaga, West Singhbhum, Palamau, East Singhbhum and Ramgarh.
The officials also discussed several issues related to better implementation of Sarva Siksha Abhiyan at the meeting. The need for seasonal hostels to check the dropout rate and better co-ordination with welfare and drinking water and sanitation departments was also stressed on during the deliberations.
Today, Tiwary reviewed the status of elementary education in minority-dominated districts under Prime Minister’s 15-point programme. He also visited a few government schools in Ratu block on the outskirts of the city.
In Jharkhand, four districts have been identified as minority-dominated ones — Pakur and Sahebganj (Muslims), Ranchi and Gumla (Christians).
The authorities expressed their concern over poor utilisation of funds meant for minority schools under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan in the first quarter of this fiscal. Directives were issued to ensure speedy utilisation in the current quarter, sources said.
