Mid-day meal workers stage dharna

Nizamabad: Telangana Mid-Day Meal Agencies Labour Association on Monday staged a protest in front of District Education Office (DEO) under the aegis of CITU and demanded that the government increase the budget in accordance with rate of inflation. They also demanded job security.

The workers in large numbers participated in the protest and raised slogans against Telangana State government for neglecting the demands of Mid-Day Meal Agencies.

Speaking on the occasion, D Bharati, district president, Mid-Day Meal Agencies Association, said the prices of pulses, oil and eggs had gone up. But the government did not increase budget accordingly. She demanded that the government increase the slab rate to each child to Rs 12.54. She urged the government to pay for eggs separately.

District general secretary of the Association, Chakrapani, said the earlier governments used them as bonded labourers. “We expected the TRS government to protect our rights, but they are neglecting us,” he said.

Presently, the prices of eggs, oil and red gram dal were at a high level due to the inflation but the government was not increasing the mid-day meal agencies budget.

He demanded that the government release the bills before 10th of the every month and provide minimum wages and job guarantee to the agency workers. He also demanded that the government supply subsidised LPG cylinders.