Govt ready to recruit clerks, peons in schools: Education Minister

Patna: Education minister Sunil Kumar said the appointment of teachers is at present the govt’s priority but peons and clerical staffers will also be appointed in schools in the next financial year. He was replying to a question of Goriakothi MLA Deveshkant Singh during the Question Hour in the legislative assembly on Tuesday. Kumar admitted that the posts of principal in schools have also been vacant for a long time.He said the recruitment for the posts of peon and clerk will be done through the Bihar Staff Selection Commission and a list of vacant posts has been requested from all districts of the state. Kumar said the govt’s priority is to strengthen the administrative system in schools, thereby improving the education system.Earlier, an opposition MLA said educational and administrative tasks are being affected due to the shortage of clerks in schools as teachers are engaged in maintaining records and other office work.The minister also announced that an assistant education development officer will be appointed for every 10 panchayats in the state and 935 posts have been created for this purpose. A requisition has been sent to the Bihar Public Service Commission. He was responding to a starred question from Gayatri Devi.Responding to RJD’s Alok Mehta, environment, forest and climate change minister Pramod Kumar said Bihar has witnessed significant improvements in air quality in the past five years due to the efforts of the state govt. Gaseous pollutants such as sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, carbon oxide, and ozone have been found to be within air quality standards, while particulate matter such as respirable dust (PM10) and fine dust (PM2.5) above the standard.The Air Quality Index (AQI) has shown gradual improvement over the past few years, he said.As soon as the House assembled for the day’s proceedings, RJD MLA Bhai Virendra asked why cabinet expansion was not being done. This led to a heated argument with minister Ashok Choudhary. The opposition members stood up from their seats and started raising slogans.The LJP(RV) MLAs led by Raju Tiwari again demanded public apology from RJD for using the word “Bechara” by its MLA Kumar Sarvajeet in the House. It created uproar in the House.LJP(RV) member Raju Tiwari embarrassed the govt by demanding the construction of electric crematoriums in rural areas of the state. He argued that burning bodies with wood causes pollution. This angered members of the other NDA partners. Panchayati raj minister Deepak Prakash and BJP MLA Jibesh Kumar among others objected to the pollution logic.However, deputy CM and urban development and housing minister Vijay Kumar Sinha said the govt would seriously consider the matter. He explained that electric crematoriums and ‘moksha dhams’ are to be constructed in all cities and on important river banks of the state.