SHILLONG: Cooking staff and helpers under the Union of Cook cum Helper PM-POSHAN Meghalaya staged a protest at Khyndailad on Tuesday, intensifying their call for the Central Government to urgently revise their stagnant honorarium.
The demonstration marks the 22nd day of a strike that has left school kitchens across the state closed since September 1.
Union President Gina Nengnong explained that workers have repeatedly appealed since 2019 for an honorarium hike, but the Centre’s 90 percent contribution remains stuck at ₹900 per month—unchanged for nearly two decades.
Although the Meghalaya government raised its 10 percent share in 2022, total monthly pay stands at just ₹2,000, which union leaders say is inadequate amid rising living costs.
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The union is demanding a revised honorarium of ₹9,000 per month.
With the strike set to continue through September 30, union officials warned that ongoing neglect could destabilize the PM-POSHAN scheme and deprive underprivileged schoolchildren of essential daily nutrition.
They urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene and resolve the impasse without further delay.
(4FrontMedia news)
