Kids go without food as midday meal workers hit roads

The protest by midday meal workers has disrupted food supply to children at several schools across the state and the problem is likely to continue for the next four days if the government fails to intervene.

On Tuesday, thousands of midday meal workers from various districts took out a protest march from Sangolli Rayanna Railway Station to Freedom Park in Bengaluru. They have decided to stay overnight at the Freedom Park for the next four days.

The primary demand of midday meal workers is hike in their remuneration and fixation of minimum monthly wages. Currently, the cooks are getting Rs 2,700 and helpers Rs 2,600 per month. They have also been demanding PF, ESI benefits and payment of salaries during Dasara and summer holidays.

“The department recently revised the menu for midday meal and we cannot prepare all the items with the remuneration we are getting. We are working from 9 am to 4 pm. Considering this, the government should fix minimum wage for us,” said M Shylaja vice president of the Karnataka state Midday Meal Workers’ Federation.

According to the officials from the Department of Public Instructions, the protest has hit midday meal in rural schools since they depend on cooks.

There are over 1.18 lakh midday meal workers across the state working for last 17 years. They have demanded that the chief minister or the Primary and Secondary Education minister should meet them to fulfil their demand.