Odisha government Thursday told the block grant school and college teachers who are on indefinite strike since August 16 to join duty.
Terming the agitation by the teachers as "Not justified", the state government said that the teachers remaining absent from schools without permission, would face action.
The Department of School and Mass Education (S&ME) directed all District Education Officers (DEOs) and Block Education Officers (BEOs) to ensure that the agitating teachers, who have remained absent without permission would not get salary for the days of absence.
About 50,000 block grant school and colleges teachers in 4000 schools and 1500 colleges under the banner of Odisha School College Teachers and Employees United Forum, have been staging protest since August 16.
They are demanding hike in grade pay and other service conditions as being availed by the teachers in government schools, regular grant-in-aid and abolition of block grant system of payment
Odisha's School and Mass Education minister Badri Narayan Patra said: "We shall be holding an inter-ministerial committee meeting Thursday to resolve the issue. The teachers should return to schools."
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