Midday meal workers stage protest in Shivamogga

Midday meal workers under the Akshara Dasoha programme staged a protest here on Friday, demanding a hike in their salaries and opposing the privatisation of the Akshara Dasoha scheme.

Hundreds of workers, under the banner of the Karnataka State Akshara Dasoha Employees Association, affiliated with the Centre of Indian Trade Unions, took out a protest march in the city before assembling in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s office.

The Akshara Dasoha scheme was launched 25 years ago to prevent children from remaining absent from school and to enhance their participation in academic activities. However, the workers alleged that the government had not increased grants for the scheme despite inflation and had instead handed the scheme over to private organisations, thereby weakening its very objective.

The protesters submitted a memorandum addressed to the Chief Minister, demanding that the workers’ monthly salary be increased to ₹7,000, as promised by the Congress party in its election manifesto. They also demanded health insurance for the workers, salaries for all 12 months of the year, and minimum wages in line with the rulings of the Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, and Haryana High Courts.

They demanded job security in the wake of the scheme being handed over to private organisations, amid the impending closure of schools due to a rise in the number of Karnataka Public Schools. They also sought compensation of ₹25 lakh from the government in the event of a worker’s death while on duty.

The association’s Shivamogga district unit president Hanumamma, general secretary Sunitha, treasurer Suryakala, and others led the protest.