Protests by Assam Midday Meal Workers seeking wage hike in Guwahati

Staff Reporter

Guwahati: The All Assam Midday Meal Workers Association and the All Assam PHE Asthayee Karmachari Parishad staged protests in the Chachal of Guwahati on Tuesday to make their demands heard by the state government.

The protesting members of the All Assam Midday Meal Workers Association demanded regular payment of their wages and ensured that the payment for a month was realised in the first week of the next month. Their next demand was to fix the minimum wage at Rs 10,000 per month as per the law and to publish a notification mentioning the same. They also demanded an immediate stop to the sacking of the cooks and a compensation of Rs 3 lakh for those who had already lost their jobs. They demanded medical benefits for those injured while working and the payment of wages for all 12 months of the year. They also demanded that the government stop trying to hand over the mid-day meal scheme to private parties.

Meanwhile, the protesters from the All Assam PHE Asthayee Karmachari Parishad demanded that since they have received their training under specialised courses as Jal Mitras, they should be paid in line with the skilled labourers under the Assam Labour Act, and the same should be given in their bank accounts. They also demanded that their posts be regularized in line with the National Health Mission or the National Education Mission. Mentioning that the Jal Mitra has to work in very risky environments, they demanded insurance against any accident or death during work. They also added that a large number of people were previously engaged in different works but have not been appointed as Jal Mitra, or their payments have not been regularised; hence, demands were made for resolving these problems.

Also Read: Assam: Midday meal workers threaten protests in state

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