The All Manipur Mid-Day Meal Workers’ Union (AMMDMWU) has planned to conduct a sit-in protest on December 11 as a part of the nationwide protest, demanding increase in honorarium for mid-day meal workers.
Addressing the media at the Manipur Press Club on Sunday, AMMDMWU general secretary Arambam Thoi said that an all India conference for mid-day meal workers was held at Hyderabad on November 4 and November 5 in which representatives from Manipur also attended. In the meeting the authorities concerned assured to increase the honorarium for mid-day meal workers in principle but gave no written assurance.
During the meeting, it was decided to stage a sit-in protest on December 11 in every part of the country and AMMDMWU will also extend support and coordination to the protest, she said. As such, every mid-day meal worker in all districts of Manipur should also take part in the protest, she urged.
She said that honorarium of just Rs 1,000 per month received by mid-day meal workers is mismatched with the duties given upon them. In the state, even this is never received in time, she said, adding that after months, an honorarium of 15 months was released and that honorarium for two-three months are still pending.
She alleged that the state doesn’t produce their share for mid-day meal workers resulting in mid-day meal workers getting very low honorarium on an irregular basis.
The programme for mid-day meal is about to complete 18 years and most of the mid-day meal workers are living below poverty line. Hence, it is high time for the state government to review the Rs 1,000 per month honorarium as the amount is practically nothing nowadays when prices of all commodities are skyrocketing.
Without mid-day meal workers, the mid-day meal scheme, which is playing a crucial role in promoting the right to education act, would be impossible, she said, while drawing attention of the state government to understand the problem and inconveniences faced by mid-day meal workers communities.
