SHILLONG: A routine convoy turned into an unexpected moment of direct governance on the streets of Shillong today.
Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma halted his vehicle near the Marriott Hotel in Police Bazar to personally hear out members of the Union of Cook-cum-Helpers under the PM POSHAN Scheme.
The mid-day meal workers were staging a silent placard demonstration, aiming to catch the attention of visiting Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
Stepping right out of his vehicle to interact with the protestors, Chief Minister Sangma requested the union to submit a formal written memorandum and promised that the state government would meticulously review their concerns in the coming days.
The union had already submitted a representation to the Union Finance Minister during her visit to the Jaintia Hills on Friday, raising a critical demand for structural financial survival.
The core of their struggle lies in a massive fiscal disparity. The union is urging the central government to increase its monthly honorarium share from a meager ₹900 to ₹9,000.
Union President Gena Nengnong pointed out that the Centre’s contribution has remained completely frozen for over two decades despite soaring inflation and living costs. While the Meghalaya state government under CM Sangma did step up in 2022 by raising its state contribution from ₹100 to ₹1,100 to provide some relief, the stagnant central share and irregular fund releases make sustaining a livelihood an uphill battle.
This demonstration is part of a multi-year advocacy campaign. The cook-cum-helpers have repeatedly reached out to New Delhi, sending multiple representations to Prime Minister Narendra Modi since 2022 and a recent reminder to Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan earlier this year, both of which are still awaiting a response.
By taking to the streets during this high-profile visit, the workers across the Northeast are holding onto hope that Finance Minister Sitharaman will carry their voices back to New Delhi for a decisive policy shift in the upcoming Parliament session.
