Mid-Day Meal dues unpaid for 6 months: SHG women shut school in Odisha

Women of the Durga Self-Help Group (SHG) on Tuesday locked the gates of Udala Bahubandh Ashram School, alleging that they have not received payment for mid-day meal supplies for the past six months. Entrusted with preparing and serving cooked meals to students, the SHG members claimed that repeated appeals to authorities yielded no response, leaving them with no option but to resort to protest.

Six Months of Unsettled Bills

Despite growing financial strain, the SHG members said they continued their service to the children. However, the prolonged delay in clearing their dues has forced them into debt, making it increasingly difficult to sustain both the meal programme and their own livelihoods. They stressed that the non-payment has disrupted the smooth functioning of the government welfare scheme.

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School Locked in Protest

Early in the morning, the women locked the school gates, preventing students and staff from entering. They emphasised that the intention was not to hinder education, but to draw urgent attention to their grievances. Several parents and local residents gathered outside the school, expressing concern over the escalating standoff.

“We are on strike because we haven’t been paid for the mid-day meal work for the last six months. We even had to borrow money to keep the service running. There are two headmasters here, and the previous headmaster has still not officially handed over the charge,” said Jayanti Parida, a member of the SHG.

A Recurring Problem

The incident underscores recurring payment delays that frequently plague welfare programmes. The protesting SHG members hope that their action will compel authorities to clear the pending dues and restore normalcy at the school.