Union to write to PM against govt’s failure to pay 5-month honorarium of mid-day meal workers in Meghalaya

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaMarch 21, 2022

The All Jaintia Hills Mid-Day Meal Workers’ Union (AJHMDMWU) on Monday decided to petition the Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi against the state government’s failure to pay their five-month honorarium besides fulfilling their various demands.

“We have decided to write to the Prime Minister for his necessary intervention into this matter,” President of the Union Phiyooris Syngkon told reporters.

She said that the state government has failed to release a five-month honorarium which is Rs 1000 per head and this has affected many mid-day meal workers, who mostly are women.

The union had in fact sent memorandums to the chief minister Conrad K Sangma for three consecutive times but till date there has been no response.

There are over 15,000 mid-day meal workers in the state.

“Since 97 percent of them are women and are depending on the honorarium to run their families, the inordinate delay by the government has affected them to a great extent,” Syngkon said.

Slamming the government for not paying heed to the various demands put forth since 2019, the president of the union said, “We have demanded enhancement of the honorarium to Rs 5,000 per month and the honorarium to be paid for a full 12-month instead of 10-month.”

The other demands include availing sick leave, maternity and paternity leave, pension schemes etc.