Govt announces total block grant to 488 junior, 249 degree colleges

The Orissa government on Saturday issued a notification announcing 100 per cent block grant to 488 junior colleges and 249 degree colleges in the state. It would be implemented after the gazette notification is issued within a week, said higher education minister Debi Prasad Mishra.Briefing newsmen here, Mishra said that as per the notification, 8,702 employees and lecturers working in these colleges would be benefited. Grant-in-aid would be provided to all eligible employees against admissible posts as per prevalent yardstick in Aided Colleges, Aided Junior Colleges and Aided Higher Secondary Schools appointed up to April 1, 1998, he said.Henceforth, 3,377 lecturers would get a salary of Rs 11,139 each, 873 demonstrators would get Rs 8,531 each, 963 junior clerks would get Rs 5,041 each, 171 librarians would get Rs 5,351, 271 Physical Training Instructors would get Rs 7,579, 2563 peons would get Rs 4,174 and 538 store keepers and library attendants would get Rs 6,627 and Rs 4,378 each respectively as salary. Mishra said that the state government would bear a burden of Rs 80 crore to implement the block grant. All the information has been provided in the website of the higher education department to maintain transparency, he pointed out.