Inclusive education volunteers demand hike in salary

BHUBANESWAR: Demanding hike in salary and regularisation of their services, the members of All Odisha Inclusive Education Volunteer Association (AOIEVA) staged rally in front of the State Assembly here on Tuesday. Hundreds of Inclusive Education Volunteers (IEVs), who were appointed to visit the schools and to help the physically challenged students in , participated in the rally followed by a procession.

According to the members, they are just getting Rs 2,500 per month which is much lower than the daily wage to a labourer. One and a half year has already completed, but the State Government is yet to taker any step to increase the salary of more than 2,500 volunteers, they added.

In a memorandum to the Chief Minister, the members demanded that the State Government should change their present post of Inclusive Education Volunteer to Inclusive Education Teacher or Cluster Resource Teacher which would give them a new status and nobody would feel inferior. They also demanded travel allowance as they travel two schools everyday, provident fund facility and to provide all facilities like the Government employees.