Shillong, July 20: Over 20,000 cooks and helps providing nutritious food to schoolchildren in Meghalaya under PM Poshan scheme have threatened to launch strike, demanding raise in their wages, which has not been revised for the past one decade.
“If the Central Government does not enhance this decade-old honorarium, we will stop implementing the scheme in the region,” Khroo L Pariat, adviser of the Cook-cum-Helper PM Poshan, Meghalaya told reporters here on Monday.
Pariat said the union has more than 20,000 members as per the state government records.
The union has demanded for increase of Central share in PM Poshan from Rs 900 to Rs 9,000 per month, with special consideration for the North Eastern region where the funding pattern is 90:10.
Noting that Meghalaya has already enhanced its state share, he said, “The Government of Meghalaya under Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma enhanced the honorarium in 2022 from Rs 100 to Rs 1,100 per month from the state share.”
“Meghalaya now ranks first in the North East and 5th in the country. Kerala pays Rs 12,000 and Delhi Rs 8,000 per month,” he added.
Mentioning that the honorarium of Rs 900 per month for 10 months in a year has not been revised for more than 20 years, he said, “We cannot survive on this voluntary honorarium of Rs 900 from the Union Government.”
He appealed to all Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha MPs from the North East and across India to take up the issue during the ongoing Monsoon Session.
In a memorandum to the Prime Minister, the union has sought immediate enhancement of the decade-old honorarium paid to cooks and helps implementing PM Poshan scheme in Meghalaya.
“On behalf of the Cook-cum-Helper PM Poshan of Meghalaya and the North Eastern region, we have come forward today to sincerely appeal to the Prime Minister of India to enhance the decade-old honorarium,” Pariat said.
Pariat said a delegation had met the Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman during her last visit to Shillong.
“She informed us that the matter is under process with the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Education, but that there are legal issues. When we inquired, she mentioned that someone had gone to court,” he said.
He added that leaders including Deputy Chief Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar and Education Minister Lahkmen Rymbui were present during the meeting, and the Minister had assured a patient hearing.
Pariat stressed the contribution of Cook-cum-Helpers, most of whom are women from the North East.
“The Cook-cum-Helpers have played a major role in shaping education in the region, especially in primary schools,” he said.
Citing the region’s history, he added, “Prior to 2000, the North Eastern region witnessed militancy and law and order problems. But once PM Poshan, earlier known as Mid-Day Meal, was implemented regularly, especially in Meghalaya and across the North East, we observed that most of the youth who came to primary schools helped bring about peace.”
“So the contribution of Cook-cum-Helpers through PM Poshan has helped to contain militancy and has contributed to the overall development of society,” Pariat said.
