Cachar district’s midday meal workers hit the streets of Silchar on Tuesday, opposing the Assam government’s move to hand over the cooking and distribution of the meals to NGOs.
In Cachar, after getting the government’s approval, a non-government organisation (NGO) named Akriti is all set take over the task from Friday.
In August this year, the Centre told Assam government that it may use the facility of the centralised kitchen for midday meals in urban areas only.
The protest rally on Tuesday was taken out by All Assam Mid-day Meal Workers Union (AAMMWU) in collaboration with Centre of Indian Trade Union (CITU).
CITU general secretary Supriyo Bhattacharjee said, “For nearly 15 years these midday meal workers have sincerely served for a meagre sum of Rs 1000.”
“Instead of regularizing their work and increasing their salary, the government is keen on handing their task to an NGO,” he added.
“Thousands of midday meal workers will become unemployed after the NGO takes over,” Bhattacharjee added.
“We won’t allow this to happen and keep protesting against it vehemently,” Bhattacharjee reiterated.