Mid-day meal workers hold statewide strike, March to secretariat
Photo used for indicative purpose only. Source Internet
Mid-day meal workers hold statewide strike, March to secretariat
Shimla, June 22,
Mid-Day Meal workers across Himachal Pradesh observed a complete statewide strike on Monday under the banner of the Mid Day Meal Workers Union, affiliated with CITU, to press for their long-pending demands, including higher wages, 12 months’ salary, pension benefits and job security.
Workers from different parts of the state gathered at Talland in Shimla and later took out a procession to the Secretariat, where they staged a demonstration and submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu.
Addressing the gathering, Mid-Day Meal Workers Union state in-charge Jagat Ram alleged that both the Centre and the state government had failed to address the concerns of thousands of workers engaged under the Mid-Day Meal Scheme. He claimed that the Central Government had not increased the honorarium of mid-day meal workers by even one rupee during the last 17 years despite repeated demands.
The union stated that mid-day meal workers in Himachal Pradesh prepared meals for thousands of schoolchildren across the state but continued to receive low wages and lacked basic social security benefits. It alleged that workers were denied annual leave, did not receive salaries regularly and were often removed from service when the number of students in schools fell below the prescribed limit of 25 children.
The union also accused the state government of failing to implement the Himachal Pradesh High Court’s directions regarding payment of 12 months’ salary instead of the existing 10-month arrangement. It claimed that despite favourable orders from both the single bench and division bench of the High Court, the decision had not been implemented.
Highlighting their grievances, the union said mid-day meal workers were assigned duties during elections, including preparing food for polling personnel, but were not paid any additional honorarium. It further alleged that workers were not provided gratuity or pension after retirement and were required to undergo medical examinations without reimbursement of medical or travel expenses.
The union demanded implementation of 12 months’ salary as per the High Court’s directions, a monthly honorarium of Rs 7,000 on the pattern of Haryana, annual leave facilities similar to Anganwadi workers, removal of the 25-student eligibility condition, pension and gratuity benefits, reimbursement of medical expenses and extension of the Mid-Day Meal Scheme up to Plus Two classes.
The workers also sought timely payment of salaries in a single installment, additional remuneration for election-related duties and formulation of a policy for regularisation of mid-day meal workers.
Jagat Ram warned that if the government failed to accept the demands, the union would intensify its agitation in the coming days.
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