Bhubaneswar, Aug. 9: Teachers from nearly 2,300 block grant high schools will launch a “postcard attack” on chief minister Naveen Patnaik in protest of the new grant-in-aid policy announced by the state government in June.

The teachers, under the banner of Block Grant Secondary School Teachers’ and Employees’ Association, is collecting at least six lakh postcards from school students across the state to be sent to Naveen Nivas.

The association will also stage a hunger strike from August 22 to August 27 in front of the state Assembly to protest against the policy, which they called “mere eyewash”. The teachers have demanded annual increment and dearness allowance besides service benefits on a par with fully aided state high schools. They have also asked for extension of benefits of Rashtriya Madhyamik Siksha Adhikar and Sarva Sikhsha Abhiyan to their schools.

Last December, school and mass education minister Rabi Narayan Nanda had announced in the Assembly that teachers would be provided 100 per cent grant-in-aid on a par with fully aided high schools in the state. “The grant-in-aid scheme includes basic and grade pay, dearness allowance, annual hikes, service benefits, leave, provident fund, group insurance and accident coverage. However, the government notification mentioned only basic and grade pay. Why is the law different for us when 659 other block grant schools are getting direct grants?” asked association president Prashant Kumar Mahapatra.

“On Sundays and holidays, teachers and supporters will hold roadside meetings in panchayats and district headquarters,” said association general secretary Prasant Pati.