Mid-day Meal Workers' Union protests non payment of honorarium
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, November 20 2020: The Mid-day Meal Workers' Union has strongly resented the authorities concerned for holding up the pending honorarium of the workers (cook) since the month of April this year.

Speaking to media persons at Irabot Bhawan today, the president of the union, Y Indrani Devi stated that the State, the workers, who get Rs 1000 only as monthly honorarium that too for only 10 months a year, are in extremely deplorable condition since their honorarium since the Month of April has not been released.

As recorded in 2015-16, Manipur has 6951 mid-day meal workers, she said while adding that the State Government has failed to clear the meagre honorarium even before the Ningol Chakkouba festival despite repeated appeals and representations to the Education and other concerned Departments.

Such an unconcerned attitude of the concerned Department has left the mid-day meal workers devastated and helpless, she continued.

While other States in India have hiked the honorarium for mid-day meal workers, workers in Manipur are constantly facing delay in receiving their due honorarium for months despite Centre releasing related funds.

The AITUC and mid day meal workers have been drawing the attention of the State Government to acknowledge these workers as wage earners and ensure social protection they deserve, she said.

The Government's act and policy, however, has shown that it has nothing to offer other than deceiving the working class people, she said.

As anti-labour policy is getting clearer, the Mid-day Meal Workers' Union will also be supporting the November 26 protest called by the Central Trade Union against the Central Government's anti-labour policy, she said.

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