Social Welfare and Backward Classes Minister H Anjaneya said on Sunday that the services of the cooks who have worked in the hostels of the department and BCM hostels for more than five years through outsourced agencies would not be discontinued.

He was speaking at a meeting of cooks and assistants in the city. The meeting was held in the backdrop of a woman cook attempting suicide in front of his house on Saturday. The minister said the government could intervene only if the agency under which the mid-meals employees work fails to provide them salaries on time.