Meghalaya: Mid-Day Meal Workers begin indefinite protest against government over long pending dues

The cooks and workers working under the PM Poshan (MDM) programme, affiliated with the All Jaitia Mid Day Meal Worker Union, Jowai (AJMDMWU), began their indefinite sit-in demonstration on Monday in Shillong due to the failure of the state government to respond to their long-pending demands.

The mid-day meal workers, mostly women from different districts of Meghalaya, first assembled in the parking lot of the additional secretariat building, but later the district administration shifted them to the premises of the MBOSE office in Shillong.

The AJMDMWU has demanded that the government enhance their monthly honorarium from Rs 1000 to Rs 5000 per month. At present, the workers receive Rs 900 from the central government and Rs 100 from the state government, which is a total of Rs 1000 per month.

Speaking to media persons, the adviser of the midday meal workers, K.L. Pariat, said that they have been demanding enhancement and to include December and January in the monthly honorarium since 2019, but to date, the chief minister has never called them for talks to discuss the demands.

"Till August 11, 2022, we have sent six letters as reminders to the chief minister to enhance the honorarium of the Cook Cum Helper from Rs. 100 to Rs. 900 from the state share and also to include December and January in the honorarium, but till date, we have not received any response from the chief minister," said Pariat.

The Cook Cum Helper said that the Cook Cum Helper had also demanded from the state government to allot funds for cooking gas for preparing the midday meal as, till date, none of the schools in Meghalaya receives LPG gas to prepare meals for the students.

He added that it is a shame for schools to teach and encourage students to save trees by planting more trees, but in these same schools, the meals are prepared with firewood and charcoal.