Kolkata, February 23 Around 200 members of a joint platform of para-teachers in West Bengal staged a demonstration outside the state education department headquarters on Monday, demanding a pay hike.
The protesting teachers of ‘Sangrami Joutha Mancha’ were seen clashing with police personnel before sitting on the road and seeking an audience with state Education Minister Bratya Basu.
"Para-teachers are being paid between Rs 9,000 and Rs 10,000 per month, which is very low. We demand that it be increased to Rs 15,000-20,000. The Rs 1,000 increase announced in the state’s vote-on-account is insignificant," said Senjuti Sanyal on behalf of the protestors.
She also said that the forum demanded provident fund and gratuity benefits, as well as relief from election duties on par with state government teachers and other employees.
There are over 50,000 para-teachers in the state in over 67,000 primary and upper primary schools.
Last week, in a similar protest, the para-teachers' platform demonstrated before Bikash Bhavan, the state education department headquarters, for several hours.