Union warns of stir over unpaid honorarium
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, January 27 2023:
Mid- Day Meal Workers' Union lias cautioned ofl launch ing agitations if the state government does not disburse the entitled benefits of mid-day meal workers including honorarium suited to current time.
In a statement released to the press on Wednesday, Union president Y Indrani Devi said that the mid-day meal workers have been urging, including submission of memorandums to the Chief Minister and the Education minister for paying the honorariums.
Although the funds are sanctioned by the centre to ensure mid-day meal workers are not inconve nienced, it is the state govern mentwhich is withholding the funds.
In addition, no efforts are being made to increase the honorarium amount and as such, this act co.uld only be considered as looking down on women workers.
While other states have allocated funds in the budget for midday meal workers, the government is Manipur is feigning ignorance.
Presently, the honorarium from October to December, 2022 has not been disbursed.
While the state's share had been included for scheme workers like ASHA workers, Anpanwadi workers and helper mini workers, midday meal workers seem to have been abandoned.
Questioning what the government is focussing on that it is unable to pay the wages according to the work done by the mid-day meal workers; Indrani said that the workers, despite having the choice to quit are not doing so in the interest of the students.
She then cautioned of launching various formed of protests if the government fails to disburse the honorarium in time, and include the same in the state's share.