Mid-day meal workers are out again to protest over delay in payment of the enhanced wages announced by the state government last year.
This is not the first time that the cooks under the mid-day meal scheme, now known as PM Poshan, have protested for regular payment for honorarium.
Last year after several protests, on December 22, the State government has decided to enhance the honorarium of the cook cum helpers from Rs 1000 to Rs 2000, out of which Rs 900 is borne by the centre, with effect from April, 2022.
However, for six months from April this year till date, the cooks and helpers were left unpaid.
A protest was held in Jowai and Khliehriat wherein it was decided to give the government time till October 13 to release their wages.
“We have made ourselves clear that if the state government does not pay the workers their 6 months honorarium from April to September this time we will be force to take stronger agitation,” All Jaiñtia Mid Day Meal Worker Union Adviser, Khroo L Pariat told reporters.
He said the matter was taken up before the District School Education Officer in West Jaiñtia Hills with a plea that the government should regularly release the honorarium.
Pariat said the matter was also raised in the past with the Commissioner Secretary of education. If the government can make such payment after 5-6 months to the workers then why not monthly, he questioned.
He said there are about 19,000 mid-day meal workers in the state with a majority being women. “The scheme has been implemented since 2002 with no changes, except exploitation. If they cannot implement it in the right way, better wind up PM Poshan in Meghalaya,” he added.
