Chief Minister M K Stalin must fulfil the poll promise of filling vacancies and providing a fair pay, demanded noon meal workers.
A two-day State-level conference of Tamil Nadu Noon Meal Workers’ Association started here with a rally here on Saturday. State president of the forum Sundarammal hoisted the conference flag.
Various speakers at the inaugural session said that the concept of noon meal for school children was started 38 years ago in the State. Right from those days, noon meal organisers and assistant cooks were not getting a fair pay. Be it in the pay scale or in promotions or other benefits post retirement, nothing came their way. Many governments had come and gone, but their promises were never fulfilled, they said.
The conference was inaugurated by the AIDWA national vice-president U Vasuki.
In a brief chat with reporters, association state general secretary Noorjahan said that they had demanded the government to consider giving family cover in pension, lumpsum of ₹5 lakh for noon meal organisers and ₹ 3 lakh for assistant cooks on super annuation. For many years, vacancies had not been fulfilled in many of the noon meal centres, she added.
The conference would conclude on Sunday and resolutions would be passed at the valedictory session, she said.
