State MDM workers air woes to PM
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, December 11 2022:
Mid-Day Meal (MDM) workers of the state joined the National Demand Day on Sunday and sent a charter of demands including special allocation in the Union budget for increasing honorarium of workers and helpers of MidDay Meal scheme to the Prime Minister.
Under the aegis of Mid-Day Meal Workers' Federation of India, All Manipur Mid-Day Meal Workers' Union joined National Demand Day by staging protest in different districts of the state.
As part of the protest, All Manipur MidDay Meal Workers Union sent a 10-point charter of demands to the Prime Minister and a copy of the same was also submitted to chief minister N Biren Singh.
Key points in the charter of demands include special allocation in both the state and Union budgets for increasing honorarium of Mid-Day Meal workers and payment for 12 months in a year.
Another point mentioned is hiking of the monthly honorarium to Rs 24,000 and increasing retirement age of helpers and workers to 65 years.
It also said that Mid- Day Meal scheme should not be privatised or handed over to NGOs and four labour codes introduced by the Union government cannot be implemented.
The National Protest Day was staged at more than 20 different places across the state particularly in Jiribam, Kakching, Bishnupur, Imphal West and Imphal East districts.
More than 2000 workers and helpers joined the protest and even took out rallies.
All Manipur Mid-Day Meal Workers' Union president Maibam Jamuna, vice presidents S Sanajaobi, N Aruna and Th Roma, former president S Mainou, secretary A Thoi Chanu, treasurer K Ibomcha, associate secretary A Manglemba, working committee members L Sandhyarani, Lanchenbi, Khumanlei, Pramodini, Chaoba, Hema, Keinahanbi, Lata and Suran took part in the protests.
It was also declared at the protest venues that MidDay Meal workers of the state will join labourers' protest to be staged in front of Parliament in April next year.
As part of the ongoing agitation launched by All Manipur Mid-Day Meal Workers' Union demanding hike in honorarium, MidDay Meal Workers' Union, Thoubal district also staged sit-in protest on Sunday in front of Thoubal DC's office gate.
Union president Laishram Latari told media per sons on the sidelines of the protest that honorarium given to cooks and helpers of Mid-Day Meal scheme is not in commensurate with the present time and they have been demanding hike of the honorarium.
He also said that cooks and helpers have been demanding payment of honorarium for 12 months in a year, social security and hike in monthly honorarium to Rs 6,000 arid accordingly launched the agitation.
Meanwhile, a similar protest was also held in front of Congress Bhawan, Jiribam on Sunday.