By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, January 3, 2022: Odisha government on Monday announced an increase in the salary of junior teachers, both regular and contractual, engaged in primary schools of the state by 50 per cent.

The hike will be effective from January 1, 2022, a release from the Chief Minister’s office said.

The decision will benefit as many as 33,038 junior teachers, including 13,324 contractual and 19,714 regular ones, it said.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik took this decision after increasing the grant-in-aid to employees of all aided non-government schools, colleges, and Madrasas following the 7th Pay Commission recommendations.

The contractual junior teachers who were getting a salary of Rs 7,400 per month will now receive Rs 11,000. Similarly, the salary of regular junior teachers has been increased to Rs 13,800 from Rs 9,200.

The hike will cost the state exchequer an additional Rs 168 crore per annum, the release added.