Restart allowances, demand Democratic Teachers Front

Amritsar, November 16

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Members of the Democratic Teachers Front (DTF), on the behalf of the teachers of government schools serving in rural and border belt, called for reinstatement of allowances stopped by the state government citing rationalisation under the Sixth Pay Commission Report.

Amritsar district president of DTF Ashwani Awasthi said the fiscal condition of teachers, especially in rural and border areas, needed to be improved. “In absence of choice postings, motivation for taking such postings and giving their 100 per cent can only come if the allowances are reinstated. Several allowances, including rural allowance, border area allowances for teachers, who used to voluntarily take up postings to schools in such areas, were scrapped in the name of rationalisation after the Sixth Pay Commission Report was implemented. We had proposed certain amendments to the report, but the government remains unresponsive,” he said.

The teachers expressed that in absence of any financial incentive, most of the qualified teachers switch to private schools due to upgraded salaries that are offered.