The state government has decided to enhance the honorarium of the staff of BUDS schools, which cater to the educational needs of mentally challenged children. Local Self-Government Minister MV Govindan said that sanction has been given to enhance the honorarium. The conditions for this have been included in the subsidiary guidelines of the 14th five-year plan, he added. As per the revised pay terms, the special teachers will get up to Rs 32,650, while the assistant teachers sans expert training will get Rs 24,520. The ayahs will get an honorarium of Rs 18,390.

The local bodies have also been given permission to engage professional physiotherapists and speech therapists for a daily remuneration of Rs 1,180. The special teachers and assistant teachers are currently drawing a honorarium of Rs 30,675 and Rs 23,100, respectively.

The government has also sanctioned to use the funds of block and district panchayats to purchase land and construct buildings for BUDS schools and rehabilitation centres. “The government will always stand by those who take care of the people, who require special attention. The local bodies should get involved in managing and developing BUDS schools,” said the minister.

Meanwhile, the government has also raised the salary of palliative care nurses, who work on contract/daily arrangement. Their salary has been revised to Rs 18,390 with retrospective effect from February 1, 2022.