Mumbai: Teachers Protest Grant Delays In Aided Schools; CM Devendra Fadnavis Assures Resolution, NCP (SP) President Sharad Pawar Demands Swift Action

Mumbai: A ray of hope has emerged for the teachers from aided and partially aided schools, who are protesting for a grant hike. They have been agitating for the past four days, coinciding with the monsoon session of the state legislature.

The teachers claimed that the government has not increased grants to their institutes despite announcements. Also, whatever grants they receive now are being released in installments, which hampers the management of their schools, they have said.

CM Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday said the government is positive about addressing the issue. Speaking in the legislative council, he also hit out at the opposition, accusing it of playing politics over the matter. It is not right if the teachers are indulging in politics, and it won't be tolerated, he said. Fadnavis said BJP minister Girish Mahajan has been coordinating with the protesting teachers.

On Wednesday, NCP (SP) president Sharad Pawar met the protestors and demanded that the government must take immediate action to resolve the issue. He criticised the practice of releasing grants in batches. “Without real financial allocation, issuing orders means nothing. They should be thrown into the dustbin. The government cannot shy away from its responsibilities,” Pawar said.

“The opposition is raising a finger at us, but their four fingers are pointed towards them. You (the previous Congress government) gave approval to all these institutes that they would be permanently unaided. You removed the word 'permanently'. Then you never gave them a single penny,” Fadnavis said.