Thousands of Midday Meal workers in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic in our country, today came out to protest against their poor conditions of work and to demand wages during lock down period, better remuneration etc, at the call of the Midday Meal Workers Federation of India (CITU). In most of the states, including Karnataka, Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Assam, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Gujarat, AP, Kerala, Manipur, Chhattisgarh and UP they protested and submitted memoranda to the local authorities, which were also forwarded to the Health and Education Ministers at state and central level.

The government of India is paying a pittance of RS.1000 per month that too only for ten months to around 27 lakh of these workers who extend service in this scheme which is crucial for the country’s future. They are engaged for distribution of dry ration to the school going children. In the present scenario this work is very important for the children who are the future of our country. In so many states, mid-day-meal workers are put on duty in the shelter homes and also in isolation centers. They are neither paid for this job nor provided any safety kits and protective gears which are very essential. Many have been infected and some have died. They are not covered under the insurance scheme.

DEMANDS

1. During the Corona Pandemic period the mid-day-meal workers should be paid Rs. 7500 per month.
2. All the mid-day-meal workers’ family must be provided with 10kg food grains and all essentials per person.
3. The mdm workers working in shelter homes or isolation centres should paid Rs. 600 per day.
4. Remuneration should be paid regularly for 12 months in a year.
5. Pending regularisation, minimum wages Rs. 24000per month should be paid to MDM workers.
6. The mid-day-meal workers should be regularised as workers and they should paid minimum wage and pension at the time of retirement as per the recommendation of 45^th ILC.
7. All children including the children of the returned migrants to be given ration in enhanced quantity.
8. MNREGA workers should be provide lunch at the work place. Mid-day-meal workers should also be given work under MNREGA. The workers can prepare lunch at the site and they should be paid for this.

Issued by CITU Centre