Shillong: Midday meal cooks across Meghalaya hit the streets Tuesday to demand a pay hike. Protesters gathered at district headquarters in Shillong, Jowai, and Nongstoin. They want Prime Minister Narendra Modi to raise the central contribution to their monthly honorarium from 900 rupees to 9,000 rupees. The workers have been on strike since September 1 and stopped preparing all school meals.
In Shillong, workers held a two-hour silent sit-in at Khyndailad. The Union of Cook-cum-Helper PM POSHAN Meghalaya has pushed for this raise since 2019, sending formal requests to the Prime Minister and federal education and finance ministers. The union formed in 2023 to combat the rising cost of living. Currently, the state pays 1,100 rupees and the Centre covers 900 rupees, bringing the total monthly pay to 2,000 rupees.
Workers claim the central payout has not budged in two decades. Prices for food and goods have surged. The strike will last through September 30. A general meeting in Shillong follows in the second week of October to plot the next move.
In Jowai, protesters held a sit-in at the Ummulong Stand. They insisted the government keep the PM POSHAN scheme alive. Advising the All Jaintia Midday Meal Worker Association, Khroo L. Pariat emphasized the urgency of the situation. "Today marks the 22nd day of our cooking strike," Pariat said. He noted that while the Ministry of Finance extended the scheme temporarily through September, its official tenure ended in March.
Union President Gina Nengnong said the staff remains committed to the scheme but demands better pay. She warned that ending the program would hurt children from poor families who rely on the daily meals for survival.
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