Bhubaneswar: Members of Nikhil Odisha Madhyahna Bhojan Pachaka Pachika Mahasangh, a union of mid-day meal (MDM) workers of the state, gathered at Lower PMG here Tuesday to thank Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for increasing the wage of the workers to Rs 2,000 from Rs 1,000.
President of the forum Yogendra Swain said they were thankful to the CM for accepting their demands. He added that they had gathered there to submit another set of demands.
Swain said, “Like any other worker, we also toil for several hours every day to provide meals to the children at schools but we are not being given our wages on time.” He pointed out that of the Rs 2,000, the Central government pays Rs 600 but the Centre is delaying on it.
It may be noted here that the other demands of the MDM workers include the state government fixing the minimum wage at Rs 225, granting Group IV employee category employee status to them, grant of health allowance and, life insurance and payment of wages due from January 2018. Swain urged the School and Mass Education ministry to look after the recruitment aspect and sought their (MDM workers’) inclusion under the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation scheme as they work for more than nine hours a day.
