Telangana teachers slam Cabinet move to extend free meals, demand PRC and DAs

Teachers’ unions in Telangana have strongly opposed the State Cabinet’s decision to extend free breakfast and mid-day meals to teachers, calling it disrespectful and unnecessary.

Hyderabad: The government and local body school teachers have slammed the Telangana Congress government’s decision to extend free breakfast and mid-day meals, a benefit that they never asked for, while ignoring the long-pending demands — PRC implementation and DAs.

The State cabinet on Thursday decided to extend free breakfast and mid-day meals to teachers as well. Several teacher organisations described the decision as one that belittles the teaching community.

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The teachers questioned the government over discussions on providing breakfast and mid-day meals to teachers in the Cabinet meeting instead of addressing PRC implementation, DAs and unpaid arrears, which have been pending for long.

According to teachers, the government owes them six Dearness Allowances (DAs) that have remained pending for three years, while the PRC has not been implemented for 36 months.

The Progressive Recognised Teachers union Telangana (PRTU-TS) demanded that the government immediately withdraw its decision. Stating that no teacher neither asked for breakfast nor mid-day meal, PRTU-TS general secretary Sunkari Bhiksham Goud said the government’s announcement appears to mock the teaching community.

“The teachers can carry their own lunch boxes. Teachers are making every effort to enhance enrollment across the State. Instead of announcing free food, the government must fulfil demands raised by the teachers,” he said.

State Teachers union Telangana president G Sadanandam and general secretary Jattu Gajender also called for the decision to be withdrawn, while the Telangana Prantha Upadhyaya Sangam (TPUS) opposed the initiative and described it as disrespectful to teachers.

TPUS president Vodnala Rajashekar and general secretary Telkalapalli Pentayya urged the government to improve the quality of meals served to students instead and increase the student mid-day meal charges by Rs 15.

Publicising breakfast and mid-day meals for teachers without increasing student meal allocations amounted to disrespecting the teaching community, they said.

The Rashtriya Upadhyaya Pandit Parishad Telangana alleged that instead of releasing DAs and implementing the PRC, the government was attempting to calm teachers through free meals. It demanded immediate release of all pending financial benefits to teachers.