Bhubaneswar, June 13: Teachers and employees of block grant schools have slammed the state government’s new grant-in-aid policy, dubbing it as “old wine in a new bottle”.

School and mass education minister Rabi Narayan Nanda had announced the policy on June 10, to be implemented with retrospective effect from April 1. It would benefit around 25,000 teaching and non-teaching staff of 1982 block grant schools, officials had said.

“There is no benefit. It is mere eyewash. They have designed such a pay structure that there is no scope for annual increment and no mention of service benefits. How can someone, who has put in 10 years of service, get the same salary as one who has 25 years of experience? It is not acceptable,” said Prashant Mohapatra, president of Block Grant Secondary School Teachers’ and Employees’ Association. The association has been demanding a grant-in-aid policy since five years now.

The new policy states that those having completed eight years of service in block grant schools will get 100 per cent grant-in-aid. Similarly, those receiving block grant for six years will get 75 per cent grant-in-aid while three years of service will attract 60 per cent grant-in-aid. For less than three years of service, one would be entitled to 40 per cent grant-in-aid.

“The 100 per cent grant-in-aid converts to Rs 13,500 which is way less than what our counterparts in government-run schools are getting. The government has conveniently excluded the dearness allowance and annual hike provisions. It has gone back on its promise to pay equal salaries,” he argued.

The school and mass education minister rubbished Mohapatra's allegations. “Over 75 per cent of the teachers and employees are happy with the policy. They will get around two to three times the salary they were earlier getting (Rs 4,995). Only a few mischievous elements are opposing it and deliberately creating nuisance,” Nanda said.

The association, however, has appealed to the state government to modify the policy and include their demands for annual hike and other benefits. “We have asked for an amendment by July 5, failing which we will resort to a lockout in all the 1982 block grant schools across the state,” said Mohapatra.