‘Ayahs’ (peons) working in government primary schools across the State have urged the State government to hike their remuneration to Rs. 8,000 and regularise their services.
A delegation of the Karnataka Rajya Sarakara Prathamika Shala Ayagala Sangha met Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar and Minister for Primary and Secondary Education Vishweshwara Hegde Kageri on Thursday, and submitted a memorandum to them seeking fulfilment of their various demands.
State Secretary of the Karnataka Rajya Sarakara Prathamika Shala Ayagala Sangha M. Mahesh Kumar told presspersons that the ayahs, many of whom have put in over 35 years of service, are leading a pathetic life as they are paid only Rs. 3,000 a month. According to him, the last hike they got was in 2009.
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Mr. Kumar said that though in 1995, the government passed an order that said that ayahs working in primary schools would be paid remuneration for April and May. But, while some of them got the payment many others in several places did not because of misappropriation of funds by officials concerned. To cover up the irregularities, the department withdrew the order in 2002, Mr. Kumar alleged.
The association also sought regularisation of the services of ayahs and provide jobs to kin of ayahs who are dead.