WB govt proposes some hike in salary; dissatisfied teachers to

The West Bengal government on Thursday proposed a hike in the grade pay of the primary teachers, but the agitating teachers who were on fast for 13 days were not satisfied and decided to continue with their strike.

The government is ready to effect a hike in the grade pay of teachers from the existing Rs 2,600-2,700 to Rs 3,600 in future, Education minister Partha Chatterjee said.

After a meeting with Trinamool Congress-affiliated primary teachers' association, Chatterjee also urged the teachers to call off their hunger strike.

The agitating teachers, under the banner of another body, the Usthi United Primary Teachers' Welfare Association, has been demanding Rs 4,200 as grade pay which will take their salary package to the range of Rs 9,300-Rs 34,800 a month.

In case of Rs 3,600 hike in grade pay, the salary of the primary teachers will be something between Rs 5,400 and Rs 25,200, education department sources said.

"We are ready to effect a hike in grade pay to Rs 3,600 and ask the finance department to put the hike into effect immediately. Teachers of primary section will be entitled to time-bound promotion to upper primary level," the minister said.

The agitating teachers said their counterparts elsewhere in the country get a consolidated salary package of Rs 9,300-Rs 34,800.

Their spokesperson Pritha Biswas said, "We cannot call off the fast at this stage. The government is not fulfilling the demand for effecting a hike in our salary on a par with primary teachers elsewhere in country."
She said people from various organisations are visiting their fast site to show solidarity as "ours is a platform and we are not dictated by any particular political force."