Education Minister plans some monetary incentives for those teachers who volunteer to serve in difficult areas of the State. Belatedly, the Education Minister has realized the difficulties of teachers posted to far flung areas. However, we appreciate if the thinking has come at this late hour. But apart from this, there are some broader aspects of the issue. The Minister should not single out the teachers only for becoming the recipients of his largesse. No Government functionary, not only of the Education Department but of any department is willing to be posted to far off place. This has been the complaint of so many departments. Actually, the Government should have taken a holistic view of the problem and made suggestions that would have impact on all Government employees posted to far off places and it should not be restricted only to the Education Department.
Secondly, there seems no justification for the Minister in deciding to reduce the HRA of urban-based teachers from 30 to 5 per cent and allow 30 to 40 per cent HRA in favour of teachers posted to far off places. There seems little logic behind this thinking. How can the Education Minister single out his departmental employees for a discriminatory treatment when all employees of other departments will not face reduction in their HRA? Why does the Education Minister want to walk a lone path? Sanction of HRA to employees posted in cities has been approved by the Government after due consideration. What is needed is progressive governance which is the objective of a welfare state. If he is adamant to what he calls reversing the situation, this is bound to be resented by hundreds of thousands of teachers who will be directly affected.
What we would suggest to the Education Minister is to forget reversing of the case and concentrating on improving the lot of the teachers posted in difficult areas in isolation. Without jeopardizing the interests of one section of teachers he should care for improving the condition of the needy sections. That is good and astute governance and we strongly recommend it.
Follow our WhatsApp channel