Rajasthan mid-day meal workers demand hike in remuneration

Rajasthan Mid-day Meal Workers Union (RMMWU) on Thursday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi that their remuneration be raised by Rs 1,000 per month besides granting a status and identity of labourer to them under laws.

In a letter written to the Prime Minister, RMMWU state president Manju Gaur alleged that 24 lakh workers engaged in cooking meal for 11 crore kids in 12 lakh schools were not being paid a minimum wages nor they were being considered as regular labor employees in Rajasthan.

Since 2009, these workers were being irregularly paid a sum of Rs 1,000 per month which was too meagre, Gaur pointed out. As per the 45th Indian Labour Conference (ILC) it was recommended that the mid-day meal workers would be considered as work labourer and should be given social security from the year 2013-14, but despite submitting reminders nothing come out in their favour, she said.

Elaborating a five points demand note, she said, RMMWU demanded a rise in remuneration by Rs 1,000 per month to every mid-day worker, and they should be paid for full 12 months. Besides, mid-day meal workers be accorded a status of labourer under the laws with social security cover, she said.

Mid-day meal should not be handed over to private companies, and centralised kitchen of NGOs like Akshyapatra, ISCON, Vedanta be stopped, she demanded.

Medical facilities, identity cards, appointment letter, maternity leave, and medical insurance should also be given to the workers, she said. Mid-day meal schemes should be extended to students up to class XII in schools, quoting the RMMWU's demand, she said.