Shillong: More than 20,000 mid-day meal workers in Meghalaya are threatening to shut down school kitchens across the state. The Cook-cum-Helper PM Poshan Association issued the warning Monday. They claim the central government’s monthly honorarium of Rs 900 is an insult to those feeding the state’s children. This pay rate has not moved in two decades.
Workers currently receive Rs 900 from the Centre for 10 months each year. The Meghalaya government added Rs 1,100 to that total in 2022, bringing the monthly pay to Rs 2,000. Association adviser Khroo L Pariat calls this a slap in the face. The union wants the Central share raised to Rs 9,000, citing the 90:10 funding pattern for Northeastern states and rising inflation.
The standoff follows a meeting in Shillong with the Union Finance Minister. The Minister blamed pending court cases for the lack of wage hikes. Union leaders call this a stall tactic. "We cannot survive on the Rs 900 provided by the central government," Pariat said. Other regions pay much more: Kerala offers Rs 12,000, while Delhi pays Rs 8,000.
These workers maintain attendance and fight malnutrition in remote, rural villages. A walkout will halt the PM Poshan scheme. The association is now urging all regional Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha MPs to press the issue in Parliament before the school kitchens go cold.
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